Tax hike in panchayats expose DMK rule’s penchant to fleece public: EPS

CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary and former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday urged the ruling DMK to immediately withdraw the property tax hike at panchayat levels.

The AIADMK chief said that 4 years after coming to power, the DMK government has not only increased the property tax at the municipal and corporation levels but has also proposed to increase the tax at the panchayat levels by 6% every year. “From 2025-2026, the property tax was increased for huts, asbestos houses, concrete houses and commercial organisations at panchayat levels, and officials were asked to start collecting the new tax,” he said.

He added that from 2024 to 2025, those who have constructed new houses in the panchayat regions and those who proposed to construct houses should upload the sizes of the constructed area online to get the tax details.

Palaniswami said that since 2021, when DMK came to power, the property tax, water tax and electricity charges have been increased by 6% every year. “In addition, the prices of food items and construction materials were increased several-fold,” he added. Strongly condemning the property tax hike for the panchayat regions, Palaniswami urged the chief minister, MK Stalin, to withdraw the decision.

Meanwhile, claiming that Tamil Nadu stands first among other states in the borrowing states list, the Leader of Opposition said that common people are suffering because of the DMK regime all these 4 years, slamming the Dravidian major for increasing debt.