As per the new exemption limit, of the 39,855 households, around 20,000 houses will not come under the garbage tax net in Puducherry Municipality. | Photo Credit: S_S_KUMAR more-in The government has decided to reduce property tax by 25% and exempted houses with a built-up area of up to 1000 square feet from paying garbage tax, Minister for Public Works A. Namassivayam informed the Assembly on Thursday. Replying to the discussion and voting on demands for grants to District Administration and Public Works, the Minister said the decision was taken following concerns expressed by legislators on the financial burden due to the hike in property tax and garbage tax. The property tax will be reduced by 25 % from the existing structure, he added. On the garbage tax, the Minister said as per norms imposed by the Central Government on implementing programmes under the Swachh Bharat scheme, the government was compelled to impose garbage tax. Till now, houses below 500 square feet were exempted and now the exemption limit had been raised to 1000 sq ft. Houses with a total construction area of 1000 sq ft to 2000 sq ft will have to pay ? 50 per month. The houses that span more than 1000 sq ft will have to remit ?100 per month as garbage tax. As per the new exemption limit, of the 39,855 households, around 20,000 houses will not come under the garbage tax net in Puducherry Municipality. Whereas in Oulgaret Municipality, around 27,000 houses of the total 52,395 will not come under the purview of the garbage tax, Mr. Namassivayam said. A decision had been taken to give permission to civic bodies to issue online house plan approvals for the first two floors, he said. The government will implement the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations in local bodies on October 2. The Public Works Department had prepared an action plan to take up 213 works in the current financial year utilising ?58 crore sanctioned by the Assembly. The department will construct escalators on the main roads near the Women and Child Hospital and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research for providing easy accessibility to patients. Similarly a lift will be constructed close to the foot overbridge near the New Bus Stand. The Minister also assured to complete the Kamaraj Manimandapam during the current financial year. The Union Water Resources Ministry had given in-principle approval for constructing three lakes in Karaikal at a cost of ?20 crore. The lakes at Polgam North, Polagam South and Padutharkallai in Karaikal will be utilised to store rain and Cauvery water.

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