Bengaluru News: BBMP To Charge New Waste Management Fee Up To Rs 400 Monthly From April 1 | Details

According to a Deccan Herald report, the new fee will apply to all domestic waste generators in the city and will be based on the size of the property. The fee structure consists of six tiers: properties with a built-up area of up to 600 sq ft will incur a monthly fee of Rs 10, while those larger than 4,000 sq ft will be charged Rs 400 each month. For instance, a three-storey building on a 30×40 sq ft site will have a monthly fee of approximately Rs 150. This fee is in addition to the existing SWM cess that property owners already pay.

Bengaluru News:The BBMP expects to generate an additional Rs 750 crore in revenue from this new fee, which is intended for the collection and scientific disposal of household waste. During the recent budget presentation, BBMP special commissioner (Finance) Dr Harish Kumar P announced that the user fee would be collected alongside property tax starting from the 2025-26 financial year.

This is the first time the BBMP has officially announced the imposition of a user fee for SWM, even though the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML)-a BBMP subsidiary-has been working on obtaining government approval for some time. While specific details about the user fee were limited in the budget, it has been suggested that residents might be allowed to pay property taxes in two installments.

Last November, BSWML proposed the user fee in line with the Solid Waste Management Rules of 2016 and various court orders. The Urban Development Department (UDD), reporting to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, approved the proposal four months later, although it had remained largely undisclosed until now.

Bengaluru News:BBMP chief commissioner Tushar Girinath noted that the allocation for BSWML has increased to Rs 1,400 crore. He expressed hope that the new user fee would generate Rs 750 crore, with the remainder of the budget coming from other revenue sources. Previously, BSWML received Rs 1,085 crore from the BBMP.

In response to the fee, the Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP) raised concerns about the efficiency of the current budget, arguing that existing funds should be used more effectively before introducing new fees. BNP member Poongothai Paramasivam questioned the need for additional funds, highlighting the lack of transparency in the use of the current budget and the absence of audits concerning SWM expenditures. She noted that while urban local bodies can collect a user fee as per the Swachh Survekshan guidelines, it is not mandatory.Sikandar releases: Salman Khan’s fans celebrate actor’s release with Dhol, cake cutting and more, watch