Property Tax a progressive reform, lowest in the country, will improve infrastructure, services: DC Jammu

Chairs a meeting with all stakeholders to address their queries regarding property tax

JAMMU, February 24: Deputy Commissioner Jammu chaired a meeting with all stakeholders including the Presidents, Vice Presidents & Executive Officers of all seven Municipal Committees and their market associations to create awareness and answer queries regarding implementation of Property Tax in JK UT.

Among others, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner General besides other concerned officials were present in the meeting.

The meeting was convened to curb the misinformation being spread regarding property tax in which the Deputy Commissioner gave them a detailed powerpoint presentation about the truth and facts about the property tax.

The Deputy Commissioner said that J&K is the last UT to implement the reform with minimum financial implications on the common masses. She informed that residential houses/apartments with built up area upto 1000 sqft, religious institutions and agricultural land have been exempted from paying any property tax

She added that this tax is to be levied on annual basis and not monthly & shall be deposited in the bank accounts of respective ULBs which shall further be utilised by the elected body of ULBs to carry out developmental works & improve infrastructure and service delivery.

She emphasized that the tax is progressive in nature with minimum implications to small households and business establishments and that it will also help generate local employment through innovative means within the urban region.

In the meeting, all the queries of the stakeholders were addressed through demonstrations & sample calculations for minimum and maximum tax implications. The stakeholders expressed satisfaction and assured support to the progressive taxation and committed to teach the masses & fight against spread of misinformation.

At the last, the Deputy Commissioner directed the EOs to establish help desks in order to create awareness among people and understand more about the property tax.