Property tax from April 1, survey yet to be completed

The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation has confirmed that property tax will be implemented from April 1. However, sources in the MC said that tax implementation was likely to be delayed till September, as survey of properties was still being conducted by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre. "Property tax may be implemented in September, as unit values are still under consideration and the survey is also not complete," said an MC official.

P S Ghuman, joint commissioner, said, "Property tax will be implemented as per the date decided earlier - April 1. There will be no further delay on its implementation. Survey and implementation of tax will go on side by side."

He also added that the deputy commissioner could call for a meeting anytime to discuss the unit values for eight zones, and tax would be implemented immediately.

The Congress, which was fighting for the removal of the scheme terming it 'anti-people' and 'burden on common people', has now agreed to the proposal of the ruling party, and is now eyeing for minimum unit values.

Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashoo said, "It has been confirmed that property tax will be implemented, but we will ensure that minimum possible unit values are implemented. No doubt that it was one of the reforms proposed by the central government, but the state government has got it all wrong. We never asked for multiplication of the value for malls and buildings, and to implement tax at such high rates".

Opposition leader Hemraj Aggarwal said, "We want uniform implementation in Punjab without any disparity between urban and rural areas. It makes no sense that a person owning a building in the city will have to pay tax, while a person owning a mall in a village is exempted from it. We will continue to protest against this injustice."

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