A view of a abandoned road as markets closed amid the Jammu bandh which was known as by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) over property tax on March 11, 2023.
| Photo Credit: ANI
A strike name issued by the Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI), Jammu chapter, towards the imposition of property tax from April this 12 months, affected regular life in Jammu district on March 11.
The strike name resulted in closed markets in a number of elements of Jammu metropolis. It additionally affected the work in the courts in Jammu. However, visitors plied usually on the roads. Reports advised that a number of markets, which had been closed in the morning, reopened later in the day.
CCI president Arun Gupta, who had issued the decision, accused the administration and the police of intervening to pressure the shopkeepers to reopen their retailers. “If the shops remained closed despite the efforts of the administration and the police, it only shows our success. Police were calling shopkeepers. There has been widespread support for the call,” Mr. Gupta stated.
He stated bazaar associations had voluntarily supported the strike name. “People are opposed to the government’s move to impose property tax,” Mr. Gupta stated.
Several political events, together with the National Conference (NC), the Congress, the National Panthers Party, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), supported the strike name. Besides, the Jammu Bar Association additionally supported the decision.
Activists of the Yuva Rajput Sabha held a road demonstration to press the demand for a rollback of the property tax. They accused the administration of disallowing them to move in the direction of town centre.
According to the CCI, property tax was being imposed with none session with the stakeholders. He stated, “The Lieutenant Governor’s administration is least bothered about the sentiments of the general public.”
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The Housing and Urban Development Department has for the primary time invoked the J&Okay Property Tax (Other Municipalities) Rules, 2023 to notify the principles for levying, assessing and amassing of property tax in the boundaries of municipal councils and committees in Jammu and Kashmir. It has proposed to impose property tax on residential property at 5% and at 6% on non-residential property on the Taxable Annual Value (TAV) from April 1 this 12 months.
Open for dialogue
Defending the move, J&Okay Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha stated, “The tax amount fixed is one-tenth of the tax being paid by the people in Shimla, Ambala, and Dehradun. People’s interest is our top priority. The doors of administration are open for dialogue,” he added.
L-G Sinha stated there was no proposal to levy tax on property in rural areas. “We have issued toll-free numbers and sought suggestions from the public if they feel there is a scope for improvement. If there is need for any relief, we will definitely give it to the public,” the L-G stated.
“The tax amount fixed is one-tenth of the tax being paid by the people in Shimla, Ambala, and Dehradun”Manoj SinhaJ&Okay Lieutenant Governor
