The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has decided to increase the development charges to increase its revenue.
Municipal commissioner Chandrakant Pulkundwar has asked the town planning department to submit a proposal in this connection.
Presently, the NMC recovers development charges of Rs 105 per sq metre from the builders or developers while approving the building plans.
In the last financial year 2021-22, the NMC had earned Rs 356 crore through various taxes of the town planning department, including over Rs 100 crore earned through development charges.
Civic officials said the development charges have not been increased since the last 10 years. Hence, they are planning to increase it.
The Town Planning department of the municipal corporation earns revenue through development charges, building permission fees, lay-outs fees, hardship premiums and fees through unauthorized constructions like closure of balcony, etc. The town planning department earns 40% of its total revenue through development charges.
“NMC may earn additional Rs 25-50 crore if development charges are increased. Hence, the NMC commissioner has told the officials concerned to study the development charges being recovered by the other municipal corporations in the state,” said NMC officials.
According to civic officials, it is a part of the civic body’s measures to increase its revenue. NMC recently increased advertising tax on hoarding by four times. The tax has been increased for 14 years.
Meanwhile, the NMC has also decided to regularize the illegal towers in the city. The NMC administration has served notices to over 750 mobile towers asking them to get regularized. During a recent survey, NMC had found 810 illegal mobile towers in the city that were erected without the civic body’s permission.