* Urban Development Dept directs civic bodies to amend municipal corporations act The state Urban Development Department (UDD) has directed the civic bodies of Surat,Rajkot,Jamnagar,Bhavnagar,Junagadh,Vadodara,Ahmedabad and Gadhinagar to give tax exemption to properties owned by defence personnel. The UDD has given the direction through a letter dated July 7. This comes following several representations by the Army Welfare Association to the state government,seeking exemption to recognise their contribution to the nation. The benefit will be extended to only one residential property located within the municipal limits and not to any commercial property owned by them,officials said. The claimant should also furnish an affidavit saying that he has not been enjoying similar tax benefit in other part of the city. As per the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act,except for properties owned by charity organisations,all properties within civic limits are taxable. The government has asked the civic bodies to amend the Act to provide tax relief to the retired and serving personnel. The exemption would come into force only after the civic bodies pass resolutions in their respective general body meetings and send it to the government for approval. The standing committee of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation has already forwarded a proposal to this effect to the general body for approval,said committee chairman Shabda Sharan Brambhatt. Around 6,000 defence personnel would benefit from the move in Vadodara,he added.
