The issue of imposing property tax in the State has catapulted into a major controversy with a blame-game between the ruling SAD-BJP and the Opposition.
After the public outcry, and relentless protests by the Congress, the decision of imposing property tax has been postponed by the State Government, with a move to review the provisions under it.
Earlier, the State was to impose property tax from April 1. With the war of words between the SAD-BJP Government and the Congress, the ruling SAD on Wednesday sought an “immediate and unconditional apology” from State Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa for “misleading the people” on the issue of imposition of property tax.
“Bajwa was wrong to hold the State Government responsible for giving the nod to impose property tax…In fact, it was the UPA Government at the Centre that has made it mandatory for States to impose property tax on the people,” said SAD secretary and spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema.
Cheema, substantiating his claims with documentation proof added, “In the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) Scheme, under the sub-title of ‘Mandatory reforms-municipal level’, six conditions are to be fulfilled by the urban local bodies (UlBs) including reform of property tax and arrangements for its effective implementation so as to raise collection efficiency to 85 per cent.”
The Centre has also stressed collection of property tax in the guidelines for release and utilisation of grants recommended by the Thirteenth Finance Commission. “Under the guidelines, all local bodies must levy property tax (including tax for all types of residential and commercial properties. It has also become mandatory for the States to constitute a property tax board,” said Cheema while referring to the documents.