SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh's Congress govt has withdrawn a " toilet tax " which it had proposed to levy in urban areas after opposition BJP decried the move as "shameful".
A notification issued by the state's Jal Shakti department had sought to levy from Oct 1 a monthly tax of Rs 25 per toilet seat in urban areas on all those households that use their own water sources but the sewerage system of the department. In addition to this, a monthly tax of Rs 100 was imposed on water in rural areas.
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu 's denial came even as Nirmala Sitharaman , slamming the state govt's proposal, posted on X: "Unbelievable, if true! While PM @narendramodi ji, builds Swachhata as a people's movement, here is @INCIndia taxing people for toilets! Shame that they didn't provide good sanitation during their time, but this step will shame the country!"
In Bilaspur, Nadda said the "toilet tax" showed that the Sukhu govt's intellect and wisdom had become "corrupt" and such a regime had no right to continue.
The Jal Shakti department's 'toilet tax' notification was withdrawn on Thursday after it reached the office of deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri.
Agnihotri claimed previous BJP govt had imposed sewerage tax in 2018, and that users were already paying 30% of their water bill as sewerage charges. Rejecting the "toilet tax" accusations, Sukhu recalled that the then BJP govt had introduced the sops worth Rs 5,000 crore, including provisions for free water, but could not win the 2022 assembly polls. He added that free water was also offered to five-star hotels.
In contrast, the present Congress govt has taken steps to rationalise water subsidy and impose minimal charges, Sukhu said. He added that families capable of paying water bills had no issues doing so in the state's interest.
(With inputs from agencies)
A notification issued by the state's Jal Shakti department had sought to levy from Oct 1 a monthly tax of Rs 25 per toilet seat in urban areas on all those households that use their own water sources but the sewerage system of the department. In addition to this, a monthly tax of Rs 100 was imposed on water in rural areas.
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu 's denial came even as Nirmala Sitharaman , slamming the state govt's proposal, posted on X: "Unbelievable, if true! While PM @narendramodi ji, builds Swachhata as a people's movement, here is @INCIndia taxing people for toilets! Shame that they didn't provide good sanitation during their time, but this step will shame the country!"
In Bilaspur, Nadda said the "toilet tax" showed that the Sukhu govt's intellect and wisdom had become "corrupt" and such a regime had no right to continue.
The Jal Shakti department's 'toilet tax' notification was withdrawn on Thursday after it reached the office of deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri.
Agnihotri claimed previous BJP govt had imposed sewerage tax in 2018, and that users were already paying 30% of their water bill as sewerage charges. Rejecting the "toilet tax" accusations, Sukhu recalled that the then BJP govt had introduced the sops worth Rs 5,000 crore, including provisions for free water, but could not win the 2022 assembly polls. He added that free water was also offered to five-star hotels.
In contrast, the present Congress govt has taken steps to rationalise water subsidy and impose minimal charges, Sukhu said. He added that families capable of paying water bills had no issues doing so in the state's interest.
(With inputs from agencies)
