Jammu, July 24: The much debated ‘Property Tax’ is almost unlikely to be imposed this year and its realisation will be possible only after the next Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections in the Union Territory of J&K.
As per the government notification, the Property Tax came into force within the limits of ULBs of J&K UT from April 1 this year.
Both Urban Local Bodies of J&K – Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) and the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) – had to come up with a portal (develop software) where people of the Union Territory (UT) will have to voluntarily disclose their property details for paying Property Tax.
However, despite the passage of more than four months, this portal (software) has so far not been developed. Apart from this, the ULBs of J&K UT have also not been able to compile the data regarding the number of houses as also their measurements in the jurisdiction of both JMC and SMC realisation of the Property Tax.
“The work for compiling the data about the number of households within the limits of ULBs as also the measurement of land/houses is still going on,” Deputy Mayor, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), Baldev Billowria told Rising Kashmir. adding, “It is a lengthy task and will take months for completion”.
The term of the ULBs in J&K is due to expire in November this year. Upon this, the Deputy Mayor said, “It is almost impossible to complete the task in 4-5 months as it is a mammoth one.”
There are 75 wards falling within the limits of JMC, while the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has 74 wards within its limits. However, the government notification about imposition of Property Tax in J&K UT has started paying dividends.
The Government of India (GoI) provides additional development funds of over Rs 400 cr to the States and UTs where the Property Tax is in force. The Rising Kashmir had exclusively reported that the JMC has already received central funds of over Rs 100 cr since the issuance of notification regarding Property Tax.
“As there was no Property Tax here in J&K UT, we were deprived of the huge development funds being given by the Central government to States and UTs,” the Deputy Mayor said, while adding, “Now, we have started receiving the Central funds”.
