Bhopal Municipal Corporation Proposes 10% Property Tax and 15% Civic Charges Increase

Key Takeaways

10% increase in property tax
15% hike in civic charges
Budget of Rs 3,611.99 crore for 2025-26
Impacts 6 lakh property tax payers
Opposition disapproves of the increases

Bhopal, April 3 (NationPress) The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced a proposed increase of 10 percent in property tax and 15 percent in consumer charges for utilities such as water, sewerage, and solid waste for the financial year 2025-26.

This proposal was introduced during the presentation of the BMC's annual budget for the current financial year, which took place on Thursday.

This measure aims to enhance the financial stability of the civic authority, which is currently burdened by debt.

At present, households occupying less than 24,000 sqft are charged Rs 210 monthly for water, while larger properties incur a monthly fee of Rs 300. Consumers classified as belonging to the Economic Weaker Section (EWS) pay only Rs 30 each month.

Bhopal's Mayor, Malti Rai, presented the BMC's budget amounting to Rs 3,611.99 crore for the fiscal year 2025-26, reflecting an increase of over Rs 300 crore compared to the previous budget, which was over Rs 3,300 crore.

The projected income and expenses are nearly balanced, with an anticipated deficit of Rs 110.07 crore after allocating a 5 percent reserve.

While reading the budget in the Corporation's House on Thursday, Rai emphasized the proposed 10 percent hike in property tax and 15 percent increase in consumer charges for water and solid waste management.

This decision impacts approximately six lakh property tax contributors in the city, alongside nearly four lakh residents who utilize BMC-supplied water.

Opposition members, particularly Congress Corporators, expressed their disapproval of the proposed hikes in property tax and civic charges.

In its budget for 2025-26, the BMC plans to allocate Rs 30 lakh for road repairs, Rs 11 crore for street lighting, and Rs 12 crore for beautifying major roads across the city.

Additionally, Rs 32 crore is earmarked for creating new 'visarjan ghats' (immersion sites), with Rs 11 crore set aside for drain maintenance.

Moreover, the BMC intends to allocate Rs 400 crore for housing initiatives under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Rs 20 crore for establishing Gita Bhawan in Bhopal, and Rs 30 crore for educational purposes.