India is a tax crazy nation. There are income tax, Goods and Services Tax, Chulha Tax and now, there will be Toilet Seat tax. Yes, you read it right. The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh has decided to tax people living in urban areas based on the number of toilets in their houses. This comes amid the increasing financial distress of the state government due to welfare schemes including freebies. 

According to reports, the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government has issued a notification ordering an increase in the sewerage and water bill saying that people living in the urban areas will have to pay a fee of Rs 25 per toilet seat in their houses. This additional tax will be transferred to the Jal Shakti Department along with the sewerage bill. 

According to the government notification, the sewerage bill will be set at 30 per cent of the water bill. For those who source their own water but use the government’s sewerage connection, a monthly fee of Rs 25 per toilet seat will apply. The department has instructed all divisional officers to implement this order.

Earlier when there was a BJP government in the state, the water was free for the residents. The Sukhu government has also decided to charge Rs 100 water bill per connection every month from October onwards, reported News18.

The Himachal Government’s debt liabilities in the hill state have increased to Rs 76,651 crore in 2023.