Each household was charged between ₹30 to ₹120 per month for the collection of garbage while it was between ₹100 to ₹10,000 for commercial complexes.  | Photo Credit: File Photo

Andhra Pradesh Assembly approves Bill to withdraw garbage collection tax

The government will launch an inquiry into how the YSRCP government had benefited contractors by imposing garbage collection tax, says Municipal Administration Minister

by · The Hindu

The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to do away with the collection of garbage collection tax. To this effect, Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana tabled an Amendment Bill to Repeal Garbage Tax in the State Legislative Assembly on November 21 (Thursday). The Assembly approved the same.

Mr. Narayana informed the House that the government would launch an inquiry into how the previous YSRCP government had benefited contractors by imposing the garbage collection tax.

The YRSCP government imposed a garbage tax for waste collection. It used service providers to arrange for vehicles and collected taxes in 40 municipalities, and paid somewhere between ₹51,641 to ₹62,964 per month for garbage collection. A total of ₹13.9 crore per month was given to 40 municipalities for garbage collection, which began in November 2021.

The monthly charge was between ₹30 to ₹120 for households and between ₹100 to ₹10,000 for commercial complexes. Even properties with a tax of ₹50 were charged ₹356 annually as garbage tax.

Between November 2021 and July 2022, bills worth ₹325 crore were generated, of which ₹249 crore was paid, the Minister said, adding that the municipal taxes were not increased during the TDP’s previous tenure between 2014 and 2019.

Criticising the previous YSRCP government for imposing the garbage tax without eliciting public opinion, Mr. Narayana said that the women in some districts protested against the move.

In certain areas, the drinking water supply was halted for no payment of garbage tax. The volunteers conducted drives every Saturday to collect garbage tax.

“The NDA government had promised to repeal the garbage tax before the elections. A resolution was passed in the Cabinet on October 16, 2024, to repeal the tax, he added.

Published - November 21, 2024 09:04 pm IST