Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India]: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has introduced a “garbage cess,” requiring Bengaluru residents to pay a solid waste management user fee from April 1.
Following recent hikes in milk and electricity prices, BBMP has now enforced this additional tax. The cost of garbage disposal will be charged monthly, with different rates for shops, hotels, and residential buildings.
According to BBMP, hotels that previously paid ₹5 per kg of garbage will now pay ₹12 per kg. Residential buildings will be charged based on their size:
- Buildings up to 600 sq. ft.: ₹10 per month
- 600-1,000 sq. ft.: ₹50 per month
- 1,000-2,000 sq. ft.: ₹100 per month
- 2,000-3,000 sq. ft.: ₹150 per month
- 3,000-4,000 sq. ft.: ₹200 per month
- Above 4,000 sq. ft.: ₹400 per month
The cess will be included in the annual property tax, and BBMP expects to generate ₹600 crore annually through this initiative.
Political Reactions
Karnataka Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA R. Ashoka criticized the move, accusing the government of using the tax for political gains.
In a post on X, Ashoka wrote, “The government, which failed to dispose of Bengaluru’s garbage and turned Silicon City into a garbage city, has now fixed fees for garbage collection as well. It seems that they have decided to fill their coffers in the name of garbage disposal by promising to make Bangalore City a garbage-free city. DCM @DKShivakumar Sir, they robbed in the name of brand Bangalore, now they loot in the name of garbage too? Is this Bihar election expenditure or a bribe to get the CM’s chair?”
Hike in Nandini Milk Prices
In a separate development, the Karnataka government announced a ₹4 per litre price increase for Nandini milk and curd, effective from April 1. The decision, made during a Cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, aims to support dairy farmers amid rising milk production and processing costs.
Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) Chairman Bheema Naik justified the hike, stating that the additional revenue would directly benefit farmers.
“We were selling milk in Karnataka at a lower price than in other states. KMF procures 86 lakh to 1 crore litres of milk daily. One litre of milk is sold at ₹42 in Karnataka, while in Gujarat, it is ₹53, in Andhra & Telangana, ₹58, in Delhi and Maharashtra, ₹56, and in Kerala, ₹54. This decision has been taken in the interest of herders. These ₹4 will go to the farmers,” he told media.