People Asked To Mail Suggestions, Comments On H&UDD Website Within 10 Days
Srinagar- Facing sharp criticism over imposition of property tax in Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Territory administration on Sunday sought time bound feedback from the public over its decision to impose tax from next month on residential and commercial properties.
“The UT of Jammu and Kashmir is imposing levy of property tax on residential houses/apartments, commercial establishments, within the municipal areas from April 01, 2023 in terms of two notifications issued by the government vide S.O 86 dated 21 February, 2023 and S.O 87 dated 21 February, 2023, respectively,” reads a notification issued by the Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UDD)
“Any suggestions/ comments in this regard are welcome and may be sent to the Housing & Urban Development Department at the email address housingudd9@gmail.com within 10 days,” it adds.
The notice issued by the H&UDD comes a day after Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that people’s interest remains his top priority and the doors of his administration are open for dialogue over property tax.
“The people of J&K are wise and intelligent. They understand the situation very well,” the LG had said.
Last month, the J&K administration notified the imposition of property tax in municipal areas from April 1. The tax rates were fixed five per cent of taxable annual value for residential properties and six per cent for commercial properties.
The order, however, exempted all the properties owned by Central and UT Government from payment of property tax. Only service charge at the rate 3% of the taxable annual value has to be paid to the Municipality in respect of such properties.
Similarly, all the properties of the Municipality and all places of worship, including temples, mosques, gurdwaras, churches, shrines, etc and cremation and burial grounds were exempted from payment of property tax.
Pertinently, the J&K was the only state in the country which was exempted from property tax. However, post abrogation of Article 370, the central laws were extended to the newly created UT and all the laws became applicable automatically.
It may be noted that in October 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) empowered the J&K administration to impose property taxes through the municipal corporations, municipal councils and municipal committees in the Union Territory. However the move was strongly opposed by the regional political parties prompting the government to keep the proposal on hold.
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