The Times of India 21.09.2009
LDA sends a proposal to LMC
LUCKNOW: In a glaring example of lack of coordination between the two departments, the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) mooted a proposal which has already been implemented by Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC). The proposal in question is that of imposition of property tax on vacant plots.
The proposal was sent to the department of urban development, only to find its way to a dustbin. In fact, the officials in the department were left puzzled after they got it checked from the municipal corporation.
While LDA vice-chairman, Mukesh Meshram was not available for comments, a senior official said that the proposal was sent with an idea to provide a source of income to municipal bodies which otherwise nag while a colony is handed over to them by development authority.
Principal secretary, urban development, Alok Ranjan confirmed that the idea has been overlooked. "I did receive a letter from the LDA V-C seeking imposition of the said tax on vacant plots. But the LMC is already recovering the said tax. So we overlooked the proposal,'' he said, while talking to TOI on Sunday evening.
A senior official in LMC said that they have been recovering the tax for quite some time. According to LMC rules, the tax is imposed on all vacant plots and is "as reasonable as'' 10 paise per square feet per annum. That is, if one owns a plot of size 1,000 square feet, the owner is required to pay only Rs 100 per annum. "But even that sometimes is unacceptable to people,'' said an LMC official.
Officials said that the tax is categorised on the basis of location, just like house tax. The maximum limit being 25 paise per square feet. "The value is too small to be noticed, officials of LDA perhaps skipped it,'' said the official, jokingly.
Interestingly, LDA also mooted an idea to do away with the Chawkidari Tax sometimes back. But that too was not accepted by the state government, LDA sources said. The tax therefore, continues to be slapped on the plot owners.
The proposal was sent to the department of urban development, only to find its way to a dustbin. In fact, the officials in the department were left puzzled after they got it checked from the municipal corporation.
While LDA vice-chairman, Mukesh Meshram was not available for comments, a senior official said that the proposal was sent with an idea to provide a source of income to municipal bodies which otherwise nag while a colony is handed over to them by development authority.
Principal secretary, urban development, Alok Ranjan confirmed that the idea has been overlooked. "I did receive a letter from the LDA V-C seeking imposition of the said tax on vacant plots. But the LMC is already recovering the said tax. So we overlooked the proposal,'' he said, while talking to TOI on Sunday evening.
A senior official in LMC said that they have been recovering the tax for quite some time. According to LMC rules, the tax is imposed on all vacant plots and is "as reasonable as'' 10 paise per square feet per annum. That is, if one owns a plot of size 1,000 square feet, the owner is required to pay only Rs 100 per annum. "But even that sometimes is unacceptable to people,'' said an LMC official.
Officials said that the tax is categorised on the basis of location, just like house tax. The maximum limit being 25 paise per square feet. "The value is too small to be noticed, officials of LDA perhaps skipped it,'' said the official, jokingly.
Interestingly, LDA also mooted an idea to do away with the Chawkidari Tax sometimes back. But that too was not accepted by the state government, LDA sources said. The tax therefore, continues to be slapped on the plot owners.
