Not films, not home, rice and dal will now cost you more in Pune

If the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has its way, cost of living in Pune can climb several notches as the civic commissioner has submitted a proposal before the standing committee seeking a rise in the octroi on essential commodities and other important items.

The special standing committee will meet on Thursday to discuss on the proposal of the administration which seeks to bring in the essential commodities under the purview of octroi tax.

Earlier, essential commodities like cooking gas, foodgrains and medicines were exempted from octroi. As per the docket submitted, the civic administration has proposed an octroi tax of Rs3 per Rs100 on items like cooking gas and vegetable oils. While for foodgrains like rice, wheat, the octroi to be levied is 0.20 paise per 10 kgs, for lentils its 0.50 paise per 10 kgs.

For petrol, diesel, and spices, the administration has proposed to increase the existing octroi of Rs2.50 per Rs 100 to Rs3.

Octroi on paperbags and pencils has also been proposed for an increase from Rs2.50 per Rs 100 to Rs3. Also herbal medicines, chandan and kesar have been marked for an increase from Rs3.50 to Rs4.

The increase in octroi will be a recovered by the traders by increasing the prices of the commodities.

Although the civic administration has proposed an increase in the octroi of essential and household commodities, the administration has not asked for an increase in either property tax or entertainment tax.