Dy Mayor rejects YSRCP charges of graft in lease hike

- Says mayor hiked the rents as per GO, which mandates increase of rents by 33.33% every three years

Vijayawada: Strongly rejecting the allegations by Opposition YSRCP that Rs 4 crore scam had taken place in lease agreements of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) shopping complexes, Deputy Mayor Gogula Venkataramana Rao said mayor Koneru Sreedhar had hiked the lease as per the GO said that he would resign from his post if allegations were proved.

Addressing mediapersons at his chamber here on Sunday, he said the mayor had a right to raise rents of shopping complexes once in every three years by 33.33 per cent as per a government order.

“The corporation under TDP has not hiked any taxes including property, water taxes and other services in the VMC but the mayor could increase the revenue to Rs 20 crore,” he added. Venkataramana said that Union and the State governments were supporting the developmental activities, including road widening, housing to the poor in the Vijayawada city and the VMC was paying the salaries to all categories of employees on first day of every month.

He also reminded that the civic body had purchased uniforms and sandals to the VMC sanitation workers and added that TDP corporators were visiting all the divisions for improving the sanitation and ensuring developmental activities in the city.