Srinagar, Apr 04: The Jammu and Kashmir government said on Tuesday that the software tool being created for tax collection is nearing completion. There is no disagreement about the fact that residents must start paying property taxes on April 1, according to authorities.
Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) Principal Secretary H Rajesh Prasad told Rising Kashmir that software tool that is being developed for collection of taxes is in its final stage and all things are been streamlined in the regard.
“People have to pay taxes from April 1 onward. There is no second thought about it. They can submit their first instalment of property taxes upto May 31,” he said.
Prasad said that in case software tool takes some time, the government will extend the date for filing the tax returns.
About Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) preparedness for collection of taxes, he said the government is in touch with all local Urban bodies including JMC and SMC.Once software will be ready, both JMC and SMC will begin their work of collection of taxes, he said.
“We have two months time to put that software tool in place, for paying first instalment, people can pay that upto May 31st,” Prasad said.
On March 31, JMC Mayor Rajinder Sharma said they are not ready to impose property tax but from April 1, 2023, the property tax has been imposed by the government.
” Some data is pending to be completed like identification numbers of the residential and commercial properties or the digital door numbers through QR Code,” Sharma said.
He said JMC has identified around 2 lakh houses which will be given QR code and the digital number plates. The people, by scanning the QR code, can avail all the services provided by the ULBs besides filing complaints regarding lack of services in their area.
“After receiving suggestions from the people, we will approach the Lieutenant Governor (LG), Manoj Sinha and apprise him about the same,” JMC Mayor said.
He said people’s aspirations and concerns will be kept in mind and conveyed to the LG before going ahead for realisation of the property tax”.
The move comes days after LG Sinha said interests of common man have been taken into consideration and genuine proposals on imposition of Property Tax would be considered.
On February 21, 2023, J&K’s Housing and Urban Development Department issued two separate notifications for levying, assessment and collection of property tax in the urban areas of Jammu and Kashmir, where 27% of the UT’s population resides as per the 2011 census figures.
The Jammu & Kashmir Property Tax (Municipal Corporation) Rules, 2023 and the Jammu & Kashmir (Other Municipalities) Rules, 2023, notified by the government, define the procedure for collection of property tax within the limits of municipal corporations, committees and councils in the UT.
As per these rules, property tax is to be 5% of the taxable annual value (TAV) on residential properties and 6% of the taxable annual value on commercial properties.
The rules have faced widespread criticism in Jammu and Kashmir, with political parties, business bodies and even lawyers flaying the decision.
