The Hindu       28.02.2014

Haryana announces major relief in property tax

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Haryana Government has announced a major relief in the payment of property tax in the State municipalities.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, while presiding over the State Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, announced a one-time rebate of 30 per cent for those property owners who clear all their dues or arrears up to year 2012-13 by March 31, 2014.

However, mobile phones costing above Rs.10,000 would be more expensive, with the Cabinet deciding to increase VAT to 8 per cent from 5 per cent at present.

The government has also announced a rebate of 10 per cent admissible to those assesses who pay their total tax for the assessment year by July 31 of that assessment year, a statement said. For 2013-14, the concession of 10 per cent would be admissible to those assesses who deposit their dues by March 31, 2014.

Mr. Hooda said that 100 per cent rebate would be given till March 31, 2016, to properties situated in ‘lal dora’ (land which is part of the village habitation) of those villages which have come in the limits of the municipalities on or after April 1, 2010.

The Chief Minister also announced 50 per cent cut on property tax on petrol pumps. Similarly, 50 per cent rebate in commercial space rate has also been given to IT Park, cyber city or parks of all municipalities.

The flats constructed over an area of 2,000 square feet would also get 50 per cent cut in property tax. This will benefit about 80 per cent flat owners in the State.

The Cabinet also approved to reduce the VAT rates on scientific instruments under the Haryana Value Added Tax Act, 2003.

The scientific instrument industry of Ambala has been demanding for the reduction of the VAT on equipments to 5 per cent from 12.5 per cent at present. – PTI

The Hindu              14.02.2014

No property tax hike in Mangalore, for now

Special Correspondent

Administrator of the Mangalore City Corporation A.B. Ibrahim said on Thursday that he will leave it to the yet-to be-formed council of the civic body to decide whether the property tax should be hiked and Greater Mangalore to be formed.

To a question at a press conference, Mr. Ibrahim, Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada, said that since the two issues needed thorough discussion, the elected representatives of the council would take a decision on them.

Eleven months after the councillors were elected, the city corporation does not have a council as the Mayoral elections have been stayed. The Deputy Commissioner said that a final decision on whether solid waste management cess should be collected while collecting property tax for 2014-15 from this April would be decided at a meeting on February 22.

Minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada B. Ramanath Rai at a meeting to review the functioning of the corporation here on Monday had placed the responsibility on the administrator and the elected council to take a decision on the three issues.

The Congress in its election manifesto for the corporation election last year had assured people that it would not hike property tax if elected to power.

Single-site approval

Mr. Ibrahim said people applying for single site approval could directly submit the applications to the city corporation from Friday. They need not apply to the Mangalore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) like earlier.

It applied to single sites that have an extent up to 10 cents (405 sq. m). If all records were correct, approval would be given within 12 days. An applicant could build only one dwelling unit on such site.

Earlier applicants were expected to file the application to MUDA through the city corporation. The file movement from the corporation to the MUDA and back was taking time.

Now the city corporation would scrutinise and approve the applications. The government has issued a notification to this effect on January 29.

People from civic society who want to give suggestions on projects and policies to be adopted in the 2014-15 Budget of the city corporation can do so at Mangala Auditorium of the civic body at Lalbagh on Friday at 4 p.m.

Representatives

Elected representatives can give suggestions on February 17 from 11.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., according to A. B. Ibrahim, the administrator of the civic body.

Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, he said that the suggestions of people would be examined while preparing the budget document. He said that he would be available for people at the corporation on Tuesdays from 9.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. till the elected council comes into existence. Mr. Ibrahim will be present in the Mayor’s chamber.