Shiromani Akali Dal on Tuesday said after proving to be anti-farmer, the Congress Government had now proved it was anti-urban also by imposing municipal tax as well as increasing development charges in towns and cities.
Condemning the ‘Diwali gift’ of new charges imposed on urbanites, SAD treasurer and spokesman NK Sharma said this would hit the common man and impact his finances adversely.
Sharma said it was unfortunate that the common man had been burdened with a municipal tax equivalent to two per cent of power bills in municipal areas besides increase in external development charges, increase in road cutting fee besides other services being provided by the municipalities.
Questioning the “development” model of local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu which had resulted in new taxation, the Akali spokesman asked him to explain to the people why he had not come up with a single development scheme for towns and cities in the last seven months.