RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) on Friday imposed a non-utilisation tax on plots which have been lying vacant for years.

The board said it would charge Rs8 to Rs12 per square foot as per the area where the plot is located. The area-wise rate, however, will be fixed after consultations with the elected member from that area.

If the tax on a 10-marla plot is fixed at the rate of Rs8 per sq ft, the owner would have to pay Rs21,776 per annum. However, after the construction of a building on the plot, the owner would have to pay the property tax.

The decision was taken at a board meeting held at the RCB offices with Station Commander Brigadier Shahzad Tanveer in the chair.

Cantonment Executive Officer Dr Saima Shah, Vice President Malik Munir and all the elected and nominated members were present.

Owner to pay Rs8 to Rs12 per square foot a year for keeping plot unutilised

Col Shahamad and Maj Amir Mustafa took oath as new members of the board representing the army. A total five new members have been appointed by the station commander from the military. However, three of them will join the board at the next meeting.

The RCB officials informed the meeting that a tax on vacant plots had already been imposed by other civic bodies. Its aim is to ensure that the vacant plots in the cantonment areas are utilised as soon as possible.

RCB spokesman Qaiser Mehmood told Dawn that the elected members had given approval to the proposal.

In reply to a question, he said the non-utilisation charges would be spent on the cleanliness of the vacant plots.

However, former vice president and the RCB member Hafiz Hussain Ahmed said the new tax on vacant plots was illogical. He said a number of people had bought plots but were unable to construct their houses for want of money.

RCB member Raja Jehandad Khan told Dawn that instead of imposing a tax on the vacant plots the RCB should improve its property tax recovery and stop illegal construction.

The board deferred the merger of RCB five schools.

It approved the launch of water schemes worth Rs370 million proposed by MNA Malik Abrar Ahmed for NA-54, comprising cantonment areas. The federal government will provide funds and the RCB will be the executing agency.

The meeting decided to create more posts for Cantonment General Hospital, including doctors, nurses and paramedical staff. The RCB is also working on the establishment of a medical college for which new posts would be created.

The meeting was informed that 10 mini-trolleys, each costing Rs1 million, had been procured to collect garbage from the narrow streets of cantonment areas.

The meeting also approved four cases of transfer of immoveable properties, 84 building plans for domestic units and four commercial plazas.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2017