Keeping pets set to become costlier

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, January 22

The pet lovers of the Capital would soon be taxed. The Delhi government has given its approval for the amendment of two municipal acts which would pave the way for a tax of Rs 500 annually for each cat or dog which you keep at home.

The tax on pet animals is something which the civic body or the government has never charged in the past. As of now, pet animals are not taxed a single penny. Even the registration of dogs is not compulsory though the civic body expects the owners to keep a record of the vaccination and get it registered.

The Delhi Cabinet passed the proposal for increased tax earlier this week though it did not make it public fearing opposition from all around. The proposals were made in two draft Bills – The NDMC (Amendment) Bill, 2008 and the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2008. Official sources said both the Bills would be passed in the Budget session of the Delhi Assembly in March and implemented soon after.

In a hurry to raise more tax, the Bills also provide for taxing Rs 2500 for each She-buffalo kept for milking and Rs 2000 for each cow kept for milking. Each draught animal, used for pulling carts, would cost the owner a steep Rs 1000 per annum. “Such animals were never charged earlier,” said an official of Delhi government.

There is more in store for the people which is bound to raise the eyebrows of the city politicians who espouse the cause of the “rural lobby” and the 360 villages of the city. Each four-wheeled vehicle drawn by draught animal would be charged Rs 2000 annually while each two-wheeled vehicle drawn by draught animal would be charged Rs 1000 per annum.

Officials said that tonga, which is used as a public transport in some areas, particularly the walled city, would be affected with this order as a payment of Rs 1000 would be quite steep for them. Moreover, a few washermen (dhobis) still use donkeys and the tax on each donkey would be Rs 500. Mules, which too are used to some extent would also come in the category of domestic animals.

The Bill does not give reasons for the tax. “These have not been revised since 1957 when the DMC Act was enacted. As a result, there is considerable erosion in the value of money and ever burgeoning cost of services rendered over time,” said the Bill. (2008)