Taxation

MCD announces revised house tax for 2013-14

Saturday, 09 November 2013 10:30 administrator

The Pioneer 09.11.2013

MCD announces revised house tax for 2013-14

The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) board announced the revised house tax for the financial year 2013-14.

The MCD's budget for the financial year 2013-14 was also presented in the board meeting presided over by the Mayor of Dehradun, Vinod Chamoli on Friday. As per the revised house tax, residential buildings of the city were categorised into four categories: A,B,C and D. Seventy-five paise per square feet monthly tax would be imposed on category A, 50 paise per square feet on B category, 30 paise per square feet on C category and 20 paise per square feet on category D.

This categorisation of the areas was done on the basis of way of construction of the houses in that particular area. The houses constructed for high class people were kept under category A, for medium level in B category B, for lower level in C category and slums in D category.

The posh areas like Race Course Road, Govind Nagar Road, Haridwar Road, Tegh Bahadur Road, EC Road, Nehru Road, Subhash Road, Ravindra Nath Tagore Marg-I and others were kept in category A, Nardev Shashtri Marg, Amrit Kaur Road, Acharya Narendra Dev Marg, Mohini Road and other areas were put in category B, Patel Road, Nayagaon, DAV Road, Nalapani Road and some other areas were included in category C while the slum areas including Nayi Basti at Race Course Road, Rispana, Nayi Basti Shivaji Marg was categorized under category D.

Meanwhile, the councilors of the ruling and Opposition party opposed the MCD's decision and asked the mayor to form only two categories. Opposing the decision of raising the house taxes, some councilors called it injustice to general public. They said that development should not be done by levying extra taxes on the public. Replying to the councilor's opposition, Chamoli said, "We are leaders of the city and should always be ready to take tough decisions for development.

House tax has not been amended for the last 15 years and we are raising the house taxes to ensure proper development of the city", he said.As per the MCD budget Rs. 8.40 crore has been sanctioned by the administration out of which around Rs 2.5 crore would be needed monthly for the MCD. He said that MCD is facing an economic crisis due to lack of sufficient income and due to the ban on the two per cent stamp duty. Mayor said that a revised budget will also be presented later on.

He said that rental based value assessment should be completed in six months to implement the revised house taxes. He further said that vegetable vendors who set stalls in the city would now be charged taxes by MCD. In the board meeting, a sum of Rs 51.17 lakh was passed for beautification of the Clock Tower in which around Rs 10 lakh would be paid by MCD, approval to free hold the plots allotted in teachers colony was also given.

The board also approved construction of Smriti Van and a residential scheme near Mussoorie diversion.

House tax rebate date extended till November 30

Thursday, 07 November 2013 11:34 administrator

The Times of India 07.11.2013

House tax rebate date extended till November 30

KANPUR: Mayor Jagat Veer Singh Drona has recommended extending the rebate date of house tax collection till November 30, 2013.

In a letter addressed to municipal commissioner Kanpur Nagar, the mayor stated that deputy leader of house (corporator) Satyendra Mishra had informed him that KMC had announced 10 percent rebate in house tax payment for house owners till October 31, 2013. Due to the feastive season, many could not deposit their taxes. Therefore, KMC extended the date for rebate till November 30, 2013.

Kanpur Municipal Corporation as per practice used to announce rebate in house tax payment in the month of July every year . After July, it had been extended for fifteen days thereafter it was gradually extended till October 31. More than 500 house owners of ward number 25 have not deposited their tax as their tax had been enhanced approximately 100 percent against announced 10 percent.

Local corporator Sunil Kannaujia said that those houses were part of ward 25 but they had been included in ward 23 which was part of well developed Kidwai Nagar. However, the residents had strongly opposed the enhancement as it was double the actual of amount of tax.

This would also make an impact in water tax too he added. Kannaujia stated that officials had been handed over a protest letter and a fair action is awaited from the officials.

Corporation announces tax exemption for India-WI ODI

Wednesday, 06 November 2013 11:06 administrator

The New Indian Express 06.11.2013

The Kochi Corporation has decided to give a 25 per cent exemption on entertainment tax for the One-Day International between India and West Indies that will be held in Kochi on November 21.

The decision in this regard was taken at the all-party meet convened by mayor Tony Chammany here on Tuesday.

“Considering the severe financial crunch that the Kochi Corporation is facing, the all-party meet had initially decided not to approve the request of the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) for a tax exemption.

“However, later the leaders reached on a consensus to give a 25 per cent exemption on entertainment tax. In order to give the advantage of tax exemption to the general public, we will ask the Kerala Cricket Association to reduce the price of ordinary tickets for the match,” said Tony Chammany. For the match between India and Australia that was washed out in the rain in 2010, the KCA had given a sum of `64 lakh as entertainment tax to the Corporation.

However, the match was abandoned and KCA refunded the amount of tickets sold. They also asked the Corporation to repay the entertainment tax collected for the abandoned match.

Though the Corporation had convened a special council meeting to decide on the refund, it failed to reach a decision in this regard.

Following this, KCA again asked the Corporation to carry forward the amount that it already paid for the next match.

However that demand was not met and KCA again paid Rs 51 lakh as entertainment tax for the match between India and England that was played at Kaloor stadium in January.

New property tax norms offer rebate for early birds

Tuesday, 05 November 2013 05:43 administrator

The Hindu 05.11.2013

New property tax norms offer rebate for early birds

Special Correspondent

Penal interest for the tax payable for the second half year will be levied after December 31

With interest waiver on property tax becoming an annual feature, the government has brought in new regulations that appear to be pre-emptive.

It provides incentives for early payment of property tax for the entire year and penalties after the end of the first quarter and the third quarter.

Till now penal interest is levied after the end of the first half year and for the second half penal interest is not collected until after March 31.

The State government also, in spite of assertions to the contrary, announces waiver of penal interest almost every year.

The new order issued by Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration in August lays down that for payment of property tax for the entire year by April 30, a 5 per cent rebate will be given.

After June 30, a 2 per cent simple interest will be levied on the tax payable.

The 2 per cent penal interest will also be imposed for payment made after December 31.

During the current financial year penal interest for the tax payable for the second half year will be levied after December 31, a GVMC official said.

Neither the 5 per cent rebate nor interest after June 30 will be applicable for this year.

Tax arrears

With the two-month strike in support of integrated State lasting nearly two months, GVMC has run into huge arrears of property tax payments for the first half year. Against a collectible demand of Rs.88 crore, so far only Rs.37 crore has been realised. With another Rs.88 crore for the second half, the total now comes to Rs.139 crore.

“We have asked the Revenue staff to come out with details of tax collectible rather than later giving one reason or the other for not realising it,” Municipal Commissioner M. V. Satyanarayana told reporters here on Monday. The idea is whatever is the tax quantum declared as collectible should be realised by the end of the year and should not fall short of it. Once the details are available, new demand notices will be issued from November 15, he said.

Pune Municipal Corporation recovers Rs 185-crore water tax dues

Monday, 04 November 2013 10:46 administrator

The Times of India 04.11.2013

Pune Municipal Corporation recovers Rs 185-crore water tax dues

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has recovered pending water tax worth around Rs 185 crore. The money has been recovered over the last three years from those using metered water.

In a written reply given to the query of an elected member, the civic administration has claimed that the meters include both residential and commercial ones. There are 22,000 residential meters, and around 15,000 non-residential meters installed in PMC limits.

According to figures with the water department, it has recorded a constant increase in recovery of water charges from users opting for the metered supply. The water charges recovered in 2010-11 were Rs 54.52 crore, in 2011-12 the figure stood at Rs 61.83 crore and in 2012-13, it stands at Rs 67.87 crore.

The administration has undertaken a project to install water meters in all 7.5 lakh properties in the city, given that the Union government is pressing for metered water supply in all cities that receive funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) to ensure that civic bodies recover water supply costs.

The civic body has planned a pilot project of metered supply of water in five areas - Sahakarnagar, Rajas Society in Katraj, Vimannagar, Bhavani Peth and Nagpur Chawl. Nearly 6,000 meters will be installed in these areas.

Installing water meters could help determine loss due to leakage or other reasons and will help calculate water tax based on consumption, develop an equitable water distribution system and offer the same water pressure in different parts of the city.

A few years back, the PMC had tried to introduce metered water supply, claiming that it would help calculate the water tax accurately. However, the PMC general body scrapped the system for domestic users and has been billing them on the basis of the annual ratable value of their properties. Domestic users had complained of faulty meters and inflated billing, which had resulted in the accumulation of water tax dues worth crores of rupees.