Cong opposed to BMC becoming sole planning agency for Mumbai: Jagtap

Mumbai Congress chief Bhai Jagtapon Thursday said his party is opposed to the BrihanmumbaiMunicipal Corporation's (BMC) proposal that it be declared asthe sole planning authority for the city.

The BMC, notably, is controlled by the Shiv Sena,which shares power with the Congress and NCP in Maharashtra.

In its budget presented on Wednesday, the BMC saidit had proposed to the Sena-led state government that thecivic body should be the single planning authorityfor theentire cityto ensure ''integrated planning and development''.

At present, there are multiple planning agencies forthe sprawling metropolis with different jurisdictions,including the state-controlled Mumbai Metropolitan RegionDevelopment Authority (MMRDA) and the Mumbai Port Trust whichcomes under the Union goverment.

Addressing a press conference, Jagtap said his partywanted the present system to continue.

''These authorities take decisions in their respectivejurisdictions. There should be no change,'' the Congress leadersaid.

Jagtap also expressed dismay that the Congress' demandfor complete waiver of property tax for houses upto 500 sq ftdid not find mention in the budget.

The party also wants that houses in the 500 to 700 sqft bracket should get 60 percent waiver from tax, he added.

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