RAWALPINDI, Feb 20: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has straightened its property tax structure by removing irregularities amounting to millions of rupees committed by the previous management of the civic body, the RCB top officials told reporters at a briefing.

Underhand deals between the previous management and the tax- payers which caused financial loss to the RCB have been removed, the cantonment chief executive officer, said Khawaja Iftikhar Mir.

Without giving exact figures, he said there were property- holders, who paid only three or five rupees in taxes when they were supposed to pay Re300or 500. Then there were those who had to pay taxes in millions, but paid only in thousands through wrong assessment and underhand deals between the tax-payers and officials.

All these things have now been rationalized in the new assessment, he added. Station commander, Brig Hamid Khalil was also present on the occasion. The RCB officials, however, did not say whether any inquiries would be conducted or action taken against those involved in the irregularities.

The major tax-payers including owners of three and four star hotels, big plazas and other large buildings have accepted that there were anomalies in the previous assessment and agreed to pay taxes according to the new assessment. The CEO said revenue-generation system had fallen prey to anomalies and disparities. Identical buildings were assessed at different rates causing resentment among people. To do away with these anomalies, a fresh survey was conducted which brought in a number of new units in the tax net. The tax system is being computerised in a step by step basis.

As a result of these measures, the RCB revenue has increased. House tax has increased from Rs87.80 million in 2000 to Rs94.119 million in 2001; Immovable Property Tax (TIP) has shown an upward trend from Rs31.479 million in 2000 to Rs40.150 million in 2001; tax on entertainment duty has improved from Rs4.059 million in 1998 to Rs6.065 million and advertisement tax has increased to Rs4.216 million in 2001 from Rs1.695 million in 2000.

Mr Mir said due to decline in the water level and increase in population, water supply has become a major problem and so new sources are being explored. The phase-1 of the Khanpur Dam Project has been completed and supply has been started. Only minor additions/links are left.

Other civic amenities such as street-pavement street-lights, construction of drains and nullah have also been launched. The CEO said two new street-light hydraulic buckets have been required to improve street lights.

The sanitation condition in the cantonment areas have been improved during the last two years. In this regard night shifts have been introduced in Saddar Bazaar area; clearing garbage heaps, introduction of mobile sanitary squads and cleaning vehicles.