In a landmark development in the history of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the longest House meeting was held today, lasting nearly five hours. This session marked a historic and productive day for municipal governance, with all present councillors actively participating in deliberations aimed at improving civic infrastructure and providing tangible relief to the citizens of Delhi.
The Counsellor of all parties, have raised their concerns regarding the lack of desilting of drains by the previous Delhi Government and almost flood like situations in Delhi in every monsoons. They have also demanded assurance from the triple engine BJP government while applauding the work of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta in desilting of drains.
Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh has assured the councillors and said, “We are working under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to ensure that efforts will be made to mitigate the challenges shared by all the Counsellors today, with the special focus on the desilting and making Delhi prepared ahead of monsoons. Gupta and all her ministers are working on the ground to ensure this.”
The highlight of the meeting also included the announcement of a comprehensive Amnesty Scheme for Property Tax, a long-awaited move expected to benefit lakhs of owners of residential, commercial and industrial properties across the city. In a bid to ease the financial burden on citizens and encourage compliance, the House has approved a full waiver of interest and late payment charges on pending property tax dues under the amnesty scheme.
In another citizen-friendly decision, the user surcharge has been scrapped entirely. This move is expected to provide substantial relief to property owners and facilitate smoother tax payments in the future.
Under the new amnesty framework, property owners will now be required to pay property tax dues for only the last five years to obtain a No Dues Certificate from the MCD. All outstanding tax amounts prior to this five-year period will be completely waived off, offering a clean slate to thousands of residents.
Speaking on the occasion, Delhi Mayor Singh said,
“Today marks a transformative step in making MCD more citizen-centric. With the introduction of the amnesty scheme and removal of unjust financial burdens, we are enabling residents to come forward, settle their dues, and participate in the city’s development journey without fear or stress.”
The deliberations also saw rich discussions on a wide array of issues including city infrastructure upgrades, public welfare initiatives, and strengthening civic amenities, reinforcing the MCD’s commitment to holistic urban governance.
The MCD urges all eligible property owners to take advantage of the amnesty scheme within the stipulated period and contribute to the vision of a more organized and efficient Delhi.
Councillors also raised key concerns related to water logging, inadequate desilting, and the rising risk of vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya ahead of the monsoon. In response, the House decided to intensify desilting drives, strengthen monitoring of sanitation efforts, and scale up awareness and field surveillance to prevent mosquito breeding and ensure timely intervention.
