The Indian Express             28.11.2013 

AMC opens public booking of Tagore Hall

Public booking for use of AMC-run Tagore Hall in Paldi will begin on Thursday, said an AMC release on Wednesday.

The hall, for which Rs 11 crore was spent towards its renovation, was inaugurated on November 25.

While the booking deposit and rent will be the same as before, users will be required to pay additional charges towards foyer charges, compound charges and cellar charges, with new charges like sound system charges, projector charges, charges for effective lights and rehearsal room will now be introduced, said an AMC release.

The rehearsal room will be given on first-come first-serve basis, it read.

Bookings will be open for four months from December 2013 to March 2014. For these four months, starting December 3, bookings will be made through a draw of lots system every month, the release said.

The charges, as per the release, will be as follows:

Foyer charge: Rs 3,000, Compound charge: Rs 5,000, Cellar charge: Rs 4,000, Kitchen charge: Rs 2,500, Sound system charge: Rs 6,000, Stage effect light charge: Rs 5,000, Rehearsal charge: Rs. 6,000/5,000/4000 (as the shift may be), Rehearsal room charge: Rs 4,000/3,000, 2,500), Projector charge: Rs 2,000.

The shift-wise (I /II/III) rent for the Tagore Hall from Monday to Thursday will be Rs 5,000/6000/7,000, while for .Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays will be Rs 6,000, 7,000, 8,000. For the Town Hall, the shift-wise rent will be Rs 6,000/7,000/8,000 on days from Monday to Thursday. For Friday to Sunday, the same would be Rs 8,000/9,000/10,000.

The deposit money for both Tagore Hall and Town Hall is fixed at Rs 15,000 on days from Monday to Thursday, and Rs 20,000 for Friday to Sunday.

The Indian Express            22.11.2013

Retd Brig requests Mayor to exempt property tax for defence personnel

Brig Kuldip Singh Chandpuri (Retd), V-P of Zila Sainik Board, Chandigarh has written to the Mayor for exemption of property tax on residential and commercial property of serving or retired defence personnel and their families.

"Majority of defence personnel retire between 32 and 40 years and settle down in or near their hometowns. The process of rehabilitation calls for considerable readjustment in their lifestyles," Brig Chandpuri said.

He added, "Many states and union territories have exempted defence personnel from paying house tax, when the house is under self occupation. All the adjoining states such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh have already exempted the tax for defence personnel."

Mayor Subhash Chawla, meanwhile, said, "I have raised the issue twice with the Administration, but it was rejected both times. Earlier, I had written about exemption of 20 categories but none was accepted."