The Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) will launch a massive drive against encroachment, illegal construction of buildings, flats and drive to collect due property taxes from city dwellers.

AMC Mayor Dipak Majumder addressing a press conference on Wednesday after passing of vote-on-account of Rs. 1.42 crore for next four months during the council meeting, said that in absence of full-fledged state government’s budget, the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Monday placed a vote-on-account of Rs. 1.42 crore for next four months and on Wednesday it has been passed on voice vote unanimously.

He said that during the council meeting all the councilors of 52 wards of the AMC and officials including AMC commissioner have detailed discussion over the future plan and works to be conducted in the AMC areas to increase revenue generation.

He said that  the tentative income during the same period is Rs.141.89 core, while the expenditures stand at 142.10 crore only leaving a deficit of Rs. 21.52 lakh as per the projected estimates which is to be compensated by giving special efforts in the collection of property tax, trade licence, building permission fee etc.

Majumder said the Corporation has had a number of complaints over illegal construction of houses, flats and evading from property taxes and now, the council has decided to launch a massive drive against encroachment and illegal constructions.

He said that AMC officials will also take initiatives to collect the pending taxes from city dwellers and will impose penalties for illegal constructions.

Majumder said that AMC has also taken cleaning drives in all covered drains of the city to get rid of inundation during common Monsoon and also set up more pumps to flash out flood water from city areas.

While, giving details on vote-on-account, Mayor said that after assembly elections, the Tripura government did not place a full-fledged budget for the next financial year and placed vote-on-account in the first assembly session, similarly, the AMC council for consideration and necessary approval for the greater fiscal discipline  prior to the end of every financial year has passed the vote-on-account for next four months. Majumder said that this year, the regular budget could not be placed due to the conduct of the general elections-2023 for the legislative assembly.

Now with a view to ensure uninterrupted financial transactions of AMC, a makeshift arrangement by way of vote-on account for the period of 4 months from 1st April to 31st July, 2023 is required and subsequently  approved in the council meeting.

However, the budget for the financial year 2023-24 shall be prepared and presented in the house during the month of July, 2023 next.