J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha called upon the people not to fall into the trap of some people who have developed a mindset that they don’t have to pay any taxes to the Indian Government and mentioned that Jammu and Kashmir get power made in other cities of the country while Rs one lakh crore worth funds are being used for construction of National Highways and tunnels in the Union Territory.
He said this while referring to the imposition of Property Tax in his address to the ‘Youth Festival’ at the Border Security Force (BSF) Campus at Paloura this afternoon.
“Some people have developed the mindset that ‘Bharat Sarkar Ko Koi Tax Nahin Dena Hai (no taxes have to be paid to the Indian Government).’ I want to say this that very few people are involved in this conspiracy,” Sinha said.
Further, he added, for doubling agriculture’s contribution to J-K’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the next five years, the Government of India has given Rs 5000 crore.
He called upon the youth to prevail over the elders to change their mindset on the payment of tax.
Again hitting out at certain wealthier and influential persons charging them with instigating people against Property Tax, Sinha said they have houses and showrooms in Delhi and Mumbai where they pay Rs 5 lakh tax but here they have problems in paying Rs 2500 tax.
At the same time, the Lieutenant Governor reiterated that if the common man, farmers, traders, employees, and others have any genuine concerns, the administration is ready to discuss and make changes. “But the people with vested interests who have made money for the next five generations will not be allowed to create trouble,” he said.
Later, addressing another function at Jammu Club, Sinha described 5 August 2019 as a very significant day in the country’s history saying Jammu and Kashmir is now writing a new story of development because of the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Charging previous dispensations with giving jobs to their favourites, Sinha said such persons were not attending to their offices earlier but now they have to go. He said 47 officials have been sacked and more will be removed.
He declared that Jammu and Kashmir will always remain an integral part of India.
The Property Tax in Jammu and Kashmir is the lowest as compared to other States, Sinha said at the ‘Youth Festival’, adding there are around 5,20,000 houses in cities of J-K, and out of them, 2,06,000 houses are less than 1000 sq ft and they have been exempted from the purview of Property Tax.
This means 40 percent population is out of the Property Tax ambit, he said.
“As many as 2,03,600 houses are less than 1,500 sq ft and 80% of these households will have to pay less than Rs 600 per annum. This amount is one-tenth of the tax amount being paid in Shimla, Ambala, and Dehradun,” the Lt Governor said.
Nearly 46,000 out of 1,01,000 shops in city areas are less than 100 sq ft and they will have to pay up to Rs 700 per annum. Out of these 46,000 shops, 80 percent will have to pay a meager Rs 600 per annum/ Rs 50 per month.
Around 30,000 shops will have to pay taxes below Rs 2000 per annum and out of these, 20,000 will have to pay less than Rs 1500 which is also one-tenth of the amount being paid in Shimla, Ambala and Dehradun, Sinha noted.
