The Hindu 08.04.2013
Property tax rebate for ex-servicemen
Benefit being given a yearafter notification.
The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has
finally extended the 50 per cent rebate in property tax to ex-servicemen
residing in the city, albeit a year after the State government issued a
gazette notification.
Though the gazette
notification was issued on April 24, 2012, granting 50 per cent rebate
to ex-servicemen in property tax to be paid to the urban local bodies,
the BBMP had not implemented it. Several ex-servicemen, who sought the
rebate at the help centres while paying their property tax, were
disappointed to be turned away.
According to
information available from the Department of Sainik Welfare and
Resettlement, as on December 31, 2012, there were 35,549 ex-servicemen,
including 7,537 widows, in the city eligible for the 50 per cent rebate.
With the notification not being implemented, none of them were able to
avail the rebate on property tax.
Air Marshal (retd.) B.U. Chengappa, who is the president of the Airforce Association, Karnataka branch, told
The Hindu
that the staff at the various help centres seemed unaware of the gazette
notification. “The association received complaints. When we contacted
the staff members, they claimed that they had not received any order
from the BBMP directing them to implement the gazette notification and
offer 50 per cent rebate. Left with no option, most ex-servicemen paid
the full property tax,” he said.
Major General
(retd.) H.C. Nanjappa said that the ex-servicemen were turned away by
the BBMP staff at the tax collection centres last year. He said that the
gazette notification was implemented in Belgaum, but not in Bangalore.
“With the BBMP not issuing executive orders directing the staff to offer
the rebate, the ex-servicemen were forced to pay the full property
tax,” he said.
When contacted, I. Ramakanth, BBMP’s
Deputy Commissioner (Revenue), said that the 50 per cent rebate was
being offered this fiscal (2013-14).
He said that
though the gazette notification was issued in April 2012, the notice
reached the BBMP only in July/August. “By then, a number of
ex-servicemen had paid their taxes. That apart, we cannot introduce
something in the middle of the financial year,” he said.
He
said that the ex-servicemen could avail the rebate for one residential
property by filling out the prescribed form and submitting the requisite
documents at the BBMP’s help centres. “They can avail 50 per cent
rebate for the tax paid last year. The excess amount will be adjusted
with the tax due this fiscal,” he added.
