CHANDIGARH: The agenda for the exemption of property tax to serving and retired defence personnel will be placed in the house meeting on March 30 for the third time.
The nominated councilor, Major DS Sandhu (retd) said, “We have urged the UT administration to implement the Punjab Municipal Act, regarding the exemption of house/ property tax to serving and retired defence personnel, but so far nothing is done. Though the issue will again come in the house meeting on March 30.”
In UT, 12,000 ex-defence personnel could gain from the exemption, if it is provided. He said, “Only a day is left to avail 40% discount on house tax and all servicemen are waiting for the fresh notification, so that they should be at par with the ex-servicemen of Punjab.”
In the notification issued on August 10 last year, UT administration had partially exempted defence personnel (serving and retired), widows and differentlyabled persons from paying house tax on property up to 300 sq yard land.
But, defence personnel had demanded that they should be given complete exemption from house tax as is the norm in Punjab and Haryana. In a letter to the UT administrator, Sandhu had stated, “It (the notification) gives no restrictions to defence personnel like letting out any portion of the house. This restriction has made 98% of defence personnel devoid from availing the facility of exemption, as almost everyone has given some portion of the house on rent to supplement their sources of income.”