‘Property Tax In Jammu And Kashmir Is Least As Compared To Other States’
Srinagar- In an attempt to silence his critics opposing the imposition of property tax in Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Monday that 40% of the population of the Union Territory won’t have to pay the tax, which is otherwise one-tenth of the tax amount being paid elsewhere in the country.
“The property tax in Jammu and Kashmir is the least as compared to other states. There are around 5, 20,000 houses in cities of J&K. Out of these, 2,06,000 houses are less than 1000 sq ft which means 40% won’t have to pay any property tax. 2,03,680 houses are less than 1500 sq ft and 80% of these households will have to pay less than Rs 600 per annum while the rest will have to pay a nominal amount of Rs 1000 maximum,” Sinha said, while talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function at Kashmir International Convention Centre (KICC) here on Monday.
Defending the move, the LG said that in order to make urban local bodies self-reliant, Housing & Urban Development Department (HUDD) has notified the introduction of property tax in Jammu & Kashmir like other parts of the country.
“The amount is one-tenth of the tax amount being paid in Shimla, Ambala and Dehradun,” he said.
“In commercial establishments, out of 1, 01,000 shops in Srinagar, Jammu & other municipalities, and around 46% of shops (46,000 shops) are less than 100 sqft and they will have to pay upto Rs 700 per annum. Out of these 46,000 shops, 80% will have to pay Rs 500-550 per annum/ Rs 50 per month. 30,000 shops will have to pay taxes below Rs 2000 per annum which is also one-tenth of the amount being paid in Shimla, Ambala and Dehradun. 76% of shops will be paying a nominal amount in the shape of Property Tax. No better arrangements can be made than this,” he added.
The LG said that the revenue generated won’t go to the UT government and will be deposited in the accounts of the corporations and municipalities.
“It will be utilized for improving public amenities,” he said, adding “If a common man has any problem, he must reach out to the administration. It is our collective responsibility to build a J&K which is economically prosperous, with ample opportunities for livelihood generation so that people can live & work with dignity and peace,”
The LG also sought participation from the citizens in the government’s efforts toward the socio-economic progress of rural and urban areas. The administration, he said, will ensure common people don’t face any inconvenience.
“Every decision will be made in the interest of the people. Administration and responsible citizens must make others aware of the Property Tax and how we can contribute in transforming the cities as engines of growth,” he added.
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