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ISLAMABAD, July 10: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided that the incentive of 50 per cent rebate on property tax will not be given in those self-occupancy cases wherein the occupants fail to produce registry and transfer letters of the CDA.
This was decided in the CDA board meeting held at the authority’s headquarters on Wednesday. The CDA chairman, Mir Laiq Shah, presided over the meeting.
The meeting decided that the incentive of rebate would not be given on the production of ‘power of attorney’ as only the genuine owner of the house could avail this facility.
A source told Dawn that a number of people had filed petitions in different courts for the provision of the facility of 50 per cent rebate on the production of ‘power of attorney’.
When contacted, a senior CDA official said the facility was only offered to the owner of the house and the power of attorney did not prove whether the person was the real owner.
The CDA offers 50 per cent rebate to the self occupants in the current year’s property tax and arrears of last year. However, most of the people demanded that this rebate should be given on all outstanding dues of property tax in self occupancy cases.
They said following the increase in property tax by 250 per cent, 50 per cent rebate on outstanding dues was imperative.
The authority had started the collection of increased property tax from September 1, 2001. The raise in property tax by 200 to 250 per cent was approved by the CDA board.
However, widows owning plot measuring 240 sq yards or below have been exempted from property tax. Similarly, places set apart for public worship are given 100 per cent rebate on entire dues. Likewise, hospitals, dispensaries, clinics, educational or training institutions and libraries, that are located on plots allotted for special purposes and run by charitable contributions and donations, are given 100 per recent rebate.
Under the last notification, retired government employees have been enjoying 60 per cent rebate in property tax since 1991.
A source in the CDA told Dawn that the authority’s revenue directorate was reluctant to collect huge property tax from the owners of commercial plazas while the recovery staff was stated to be strict in collecting the tax from owners of houses.
APP ADDS: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has approved its annual budget of Rs5.096 billion for the fiscal year 2002-2003.
The budget was formally approved by the CDA board comprising six members including the authority’s chairman, members of finance, administration, planning, engineering and environment.
In total, an amount of Rs2.843 billion has been allocated for development projects while Rs2.253 billion has been earmarked for non-development expenditures.
Under the development programme, Rs850 million would be spent under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) while Rs197 million would be utilized under non-PSDP grant. The remaining Rs1.796 billion would be generated by the authority through its own resources.
Under the development programme which would be financed by the federal government, an amount of Rs97.757 million has been earmarked for dualization of Islamabad Highway from Gumrah Bridge to Rawat and Rs64.335 million spent on laying of water supply lines from Shah Allah Ditta Reservoir.
Similarly, Rs300 million has been allocated for dualization of I.J. Principal Road, an amount of Rs102 million earmarked for the construction and furnishing of Parliament Lodges, Rs20 million for improvement of three existing phases of sewage treatment plant and construction of its fourth phase while a sum of Rs0.5 million will be spent on the construction of offices and residential accommodation for AGPR.
