B'loreans say a firm 'no' to CVS

B'loreans say a firm 'no' to CVS
DH News Service, Bangalore:
Most of those who turned up for an interactive meeting organised by the BBMP on Tuesday, vehemently opposed the Capital Value System (CVS) of property tax assessment...


An overwhelming number of participants at an interactive meeting organised by the BBMP here on Tuesday, vehemently opposed the Capital Value System (CVS) of property tax assessment.

The meet was called to discuss Sakrama and CVS. With BBMP polls round the corner, the S Yeddyurappa government is deliberating CVS and making Sakrama useful to a large number of property owners.

Most of those who turned up for the meeting, however, were against CVS in any form. Some of them even indicated that the ruling party would benefit in the BBMP polls if CVS was taken off the agenda.

Transport Minister R Ashok said a final decision on CVS would be taken in a month when the government would give “good news” to Bangaloreans.

He said public consultations would be held at the zonal level, and at Assembly constituency level before placing the issue before the sub-committee on CVS and Sakrama.

The Self Assessment Scheme (SAS) of property tax assessment based on annual rental value, which Bangaloreans prefer, was an initiative of the S M Krishna government. Last year, the JD(S)-BJP coalition had mooted CVS, and a statute to this effect was passed in the Belgaum session, without any debate.

During the President’s rule, Governor Rameshwar Thakur took the decision to put the CVS system on hold till a popular government came to power in the State.

Yes, agrees Naidu

At Tuesday’s meeting it was clear that the public mood was against the CVS system. Excise and IT/BT Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu virtually conceded to popular demand and said that continuing SAS would require re-classification of zones and guidance values and notifying them.

“The City has 450 slums. We cannot make life tough for them by levying higher tax. At the same time government has to get revenue for development works. We need to impose tax in such a way that it is not a burden on tax payers. We will take an appropriate decision on CVS and Sakrama soon. The government is not adamant on imposing CVS,” he said.