SRINAGAR: Urging citizens not to fall prey to the misinformation spread on Property Tax, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said that that nearly 80 percent of the population will be exempted from the tax and those who would be covered under it, would pay it at nominal rates.
“Nearly 75 to 80 percent of the population of JK will be exempted from the Property Tax. Those who are falling under the purview of Property Tax are trying to create chaos and confusion among the common masses”, the Lieutenant Governor said.
LG was speaking to the reporters after inaugurating the GST symposium and tax awareness initiative ‘Kar-Tavya’ at the convention centre Jammu.
Sinha said the citizens across the country are paying Property Tax. Property Tax proposed for Jammu and Kashmir is one-tenth of Shimla-the capital of neighbouring Himachal Pradesh”, he said and pointed out that on an average Rs 900 to Rs 1000 to be paid annually as Property Tax.
Lieutenant Governor said that aim of proposing this Tax is to develop the cities of Jammu and Kashmir as “Engines of Growth”.
“Every year government grants funds worth Rs 900 crores to the urban local bodies of JK. Property Tax will be directly deposited to the concerned urban local bodies for the overall growth and development of the area,” he added.
The Lieutenant Governor appealed to the people to support government’s initiative to develop the towns and cities of Jammu and Kashmir and urged the people not to fall prey to certain vested interests spreading false information and creating misconceptions around anti-encroachment drives, power generation, and property tax.
“No poor will be touched during anti-encroachment drives but no influential encroacher will be spared. The encroached land retrieved by the government will be utilized for the welfare of the common man and schools, colleges, hospitals, and sports facilities will be developed on the retrieved land,” said the Lt Governor.
Maintaining that property tax in Jammu and Kashmir is the lowest as compared to other states, Manoj Sinha said “there are around 5,20,000 houses in the cities of JK and out of these, 2,06,000 houses are less than 1000 sq ft and no tax is being imposed on them.”
There is no tax on 40% of the people living in cities, in rural and religious places. 2,03,600 houses are less than 1500 sq ft and 80% of these households will have to pay less than Rs 600 per annum. This amount is one-tenth of the tax amount being paid in Shimla, Ambala, and Dehradun, the Lt Governor said.
“46,000 out of 1,01,000 shops in city areas are less than 100 sq ft and will have to pay up to Rs 700 per annum. Out of these 46,000 shops, 80% will have to pay a meager Rs 600 per annum/ Rs 50 per month, “he added.
The revenue generated will directly go to the accounts of municipalities and corporations. This step has been taken to make our cities an engine of growth, he added.
