New Delhi: In the hill state of Himachal Pradesh, now residents will have to pay tax for toilets seats installed in their house. The Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Himachal Pradesh government has decided to impose ‘Toilet Seat Tax’ in the hill state.
Himachal Pradesh’s Congress government, which has been facing financial crisis, has issued a notification regarding the same. The notification related to sewerage and water bill on September 20 states that a fee of Rs 25 have to be paid per toilet seat built in the houses of those residing in urban areas. This additional fee will be transferred to the account of the Jal Shakti Department.
The government notification states that the sewerage bill will be 30 percent of the water bill. Those who use water from their own source will have to pay a charge of Rs 25 per toilet seat every month. The department has issued orders to all divisional officers to this effect.
What Is Toilet Seat Tax
Toilet Seat tax is the amount that government charges from the residents based on the number of toilet seats thay have in their house. As pe Himachal Pradesh government’s notification, the people will have to pay a tax of Rs 25 per toilet seat built in the house.
State officials have defended the new government charges, reasoning that people in urban areas usually construct several washrooms in their houses, leading to largescale consumption of water.
BJP Reacts
This is the first time water bills will be issued in Himachal Pradesh. In the last assembly election, the BJP had announced free water if elected to power in the state.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also said on X “Unbelievable, if true! Whilst PM builds Swachhata as a people’s movement, here is Congress taxing people for toilets! Shame that they didn’t provide good sanitation during their time, but this step will shame the country!”
Reacting to the new notification, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla said, “This is the zenith of the ‘khatakhat’ model of the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi that now even toilets are not out of reach of this party.”
“After petrol, diesel, milk, water, bus fares, and stamp duty, everything has been taxed after the Congress has come to power in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka… Big promises were made, and instead of fulfilling them, people were being made to pay the price. Salaries and pensions of employees cannot be paid,” he added.
