Amid stiff opposition, J-K LG Manoj Sinha says no plans of imposing property tax

Srinagar, 20-Oct-2020

Amid stiff opposition from major political parties following speculation that property tax would be imposed in Jammu and Kashmir, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said there are no such plans for the union territory. Sinha�s comments came at a function in north Kashmir�s Baramulla town. �The UT government isn�t imposing property tax as being misrepresented by some people. However, the Urban Local Bodies are competent to decide on such issues in consultation with the public and for the development of the ULB�s themselves,� he said. The LG also refuted the rumours regarding the reduction or scrapping of the honorarium of the PRI/ULB representatives, saying such rumours are being spread by certain vested interests, deliberately misleading elected Panchayati Raj institutions /ULBs� representatives on the honorarium issue. Earlier this month, the Union home ministry had empowered the union territory�s administration to impose the property tax following an amendment to the J&K Municipal Act, 2000 and J&K Municipal Corporation Act, 2000 through the J&K Reorganisation (Adaption of State Laws) order, 2020. For the past two weeks, different mainstream political parties were up in arms following reports that the government could impose property tax in Jammu and Kashmir. A PDP spokesman had said property tax would be akin to the despotic and anarchic rule the people have witnessed many years ago during the monarchy. �For decades people were burdened under the heavy taxation and this revival of old practice is to make people weak economically.� The National Conference had also criticised the new proposed tax in J&K. �imposition of property tax amidst economic slowdown is grave injustice with the people of JK who are even struggling to make ends meet,� NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sager.