29-Mar-2024  Srinagar booked.net

GovernanceKashmir

‘If Bihar Pays, Why Can’t J&K’: What is LG Govt Telling About Property Tax

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Photograph By Basit Zargar


Srinagar: After protests erupted from several parts of Kashmir valley against the LG Govt’s orders including anti-encroachment drives, installation of smart meters, and now the imposition of property tax, the LG Govt gave three back-to-back clarifications about property tax for two consecutive days and continued to wonder over the public furor. 

Addressing a function at Jammu on Friday, Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha told media that people in J&K have money to use internet data, buy I-phones and pay to play video games but he wonders why there was a hue and cries over the imposition of nominal property tax, adding that there will be a push to the GDP in J&K once property tax will be collected.

The next day, another press conference was held by newly appointed Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir V K Bidhuri, (Former commissioner/Secretary to LG Govt, Revenue department) who was accompanied by SMC Commissioner, Athar Aamir Khan told reporters that “Unlike other places, the property tax is very less in J&K and that the tax will be collected from those whose houses are built at more than 1000 square feet, once in a year."

They added that the collected amount will be used for the people and the amount will remain in the account of corporation and municipal committees only.

“When people in Bihar can pay property tax - economically weaker than Kashmir- why cannot the residents of J&K pay the same tax,” Bidhuri (who ordered the anti-encroachment drives) asked reporters at the press conference.

“Bihar residents come to Kashmir for higher wages,” he added.

However, locals say a majority of houses in Kashmir valley are built up on more than 1000 Square feet (two & half marlas) of land and turned down the claim that the poor are exempted from paying the tax. 

While LG Manoj Sinha on Saturday again said that the implementation of property tax shall be done in consultation with the public and the interests of common citizens will be protected; the Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI), Jammu, urged the administration to “keep property tax in abeyance” as it was not the right time.

Notably, all political parties including NC, PDP, PC, Congress, and DAP have also sought rollback of the property tax, stating that such decisions must be taken by an elected government.

Why Jammu and Kashmir roared against the property tax?

It is for the first time in the history of J&K that the residents were asked to pay the property tax.

Before 5 August 2019, when the autonomous status of J&K (Article 370 of the Indian constitution) was scrapped by BJP led Govt of India, there was no provision for property tax in the erstwhile state. However, this changed after 2019 and over 100 central laws were extended to the newly carved ‘Union Territory’ of J&K.

In October 2020, the government of India amended various laws under the J&K Reorganisation (Adaptation of State Laws) order, 2020, including the J&K Municipal Act, 2000, and the J&K Municipal Corporation Act, 2000, making J&K residents applicable to pay the property tax.