Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today said that no property tax would be levied on land, buildings or vacant lands in the UT, amid protests by the J&K Congress against the Centre’s earlier decision to impose a property tax in the Union Territory.
“Some people are saying that property tax will be in J&K. Let me clarify, there will be no such tax be levied in Jammu and Kashmir by the UT administration,” Sinha said while addressing ‘My Town My Pride’ meeting after inaugurating a bridge in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Commenting on the recent amendment in J&K Panchayat Raj Act, Lt Governor said that there were apprehensions among the Panchayat representatives that they will not receive the monthly honorarium by virtue of this amendment. “I want to inform them that the government is thinking of increasing your remunerations rather than stopping the same,” he said, adding these are just rumors which one should not pay any heed to.
The Lt Governor also solicited the opinion of Panchayat representatives in increasing the developmental index in Baramulla district. He said that the union government has recently amended J&K Panchayat Raj Act by virtue of which District Development Councils would be formed in each district so that the people are benefited by the developmental activities planned at the grassroots levels.
The LG said that after the successful experiment of ‘Back to village’, there was a demand for My Town My Pride for the towns. “This initiative is meant for resolving the people’s issues in towns,” he said.
-ARK
