No property tax will be imposed in Jammu city, says Mayor
Dispelling the fear among the people of Jammu city of looming property tax, Rajinder Sharma Mayor Jammu Municipal Corporation today announced that no property tax will be levied on buildings and land in areas falling under municipality.
Amidst thunderous applause by the councilors in a General House Meeting of the JMC, the mayor announced that no property tax will be imposed in Jammu city.
“The people have the last say and you, the councilors representing the public, are final authority. We have to instruct the Commissioner JMC on the agenda to be implemented on the ground. I am announcing from the dias today the no property tax will be levied in Jammu city. I do not own this chair, it (chair) belongs to the people of Jammu and whatever is the public sentiment, we have to abide by it”, he announced, resulting in slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ by the councilors.
The BJP mayor was flanked by Commissioner JMC Rahul Yadav and deputy mayor Baldev Singh Balloria.
A councilor pointed out that a survey is being conducted on properties of the public and such workers should be prevented from giving it a notion that exercise is being done for property tax.
“Those workers should be clearly directed on how to communicate on the ground. Even if they need to go to any ward, first they need to take the concerned councilor into confidence while undertaking any exercise in a ward. If any employee is found defying such an order and the councilor should take cognizance and bring it to my notice. I assure you that action is in this regard such functionary”, he added.
Couple of years back, after the centre empowered the administration of Jammu and Kashmir to levy property taxes on land and buildings within municipal areas across the Union Territory, there has been widespread resentment against any such proposed move. Regional parties like the People’s Democratic Party and the National Conference criticized the Centre’s decision.
In February last year, J&K government issued a notification, initiating an exercise for the imposition of Property Tax through Urban Local Bodies (Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Municipal Committees). The administration had also planned to Tax Board to deal with all the aspects relating to assessment and valuation of properties across the Union Territory.
Regional parties had alleged it is part of a slew of exploitative measures taken by the Centre since August 5, 2019, when Jammu and Kashmir was stripped of special status under Article 370 and split into two Union Territories.
