MARGAO
Are government buildings exempted from the payment of house tax or are they required to it like any other building owned by private parties?
This question has come to the fore as the Margao Municipal Council has raised a house tax bill of Rs 2.73 lakh in the name of Art and Culture Department, which owns the South Goa district library (rechristened as Francis Luis Gomes library), even as Section 101 (1)(a) of the Goa Municipalities Act exempts land or buildings belonging to the government and central government from imposition of property tax.
However, the Margao Municipality has not only raised a house tax bill of Rs 2.73 lakh, but also included tax arrears.
A glance at the bill raised by the civic body in the name of Director Art and Culture has put the amount of house tax to Rs 2,73,435 for the period 2017-18. "You are requested to pay the amount to the municipality within 15 days from the presentation of the bill failing which notice of demand will be issued and fee charged thereof. If the sum demanded in the notice is not paid and cause shown to the satisfaction of the municipality why the same should not be paid or an appeal preferred under section 164 of the Act, the dues will be recovered under the warrant of distress under section 174 of the Act," the notice warned.
A look at the notice revealed that while the municipality has raised a bill of Rs 89,945 as the house tax for the current year, an amount of Rs 1.79 lakh has been shown as arrears, indicating that the department of Art and Culture has not paid the house tax over the last three years.
Sources in the municipality informed that the house tax notice has gone to the district library at Colmorod on Wednesday.
Incidentally, a circular issued by the Director of Municipal Administration way back in the year 2002, however, speaks of exemption of house tax to government buildings, both state and central governments. The circular further stated that the government buildings are not liable to pay the property tax whether they are used for commercial purposes or not.
When The Goan contacted Margao Municipal Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes, he said he would examine the issue in the light of the circular issued by the Director of Municipal Administration in 2002.
"The circular bars the municipalities from raising house tax bill on government buildings. I will check up with the taxation section how the house tax notice has gone to the district library. May be the district library was earlier assessed by the council and the house tax notice must be going to the library as a matter of routine procedure," Johnson said, while promising to check up with the taxation section after resuming office in the first week of January.
Are government buildings exempted from the payment of house tax or are they required to it like any other building owned by private parties?
This question has come to the fore as the Margao Municipal Council has raised a house tax bill of Rs 2.73 lakh in the name of Art and Culture Department, which owns the South Goa district library (rechristened as Francis Luis Gomes library), even as Section 101 (1)(a) of the Goa Municipalities Act exempts land or buildings belonging to the government and central government from imposition of property tax.
However, the Margao Municipality has not only raised a house tax bill of Rs 2.73 lakh, but also included tax arrears.
A glance at the bill raised by the civic body in the name of Director Art and Culture has put the amount of house tax to Rs 2,73,435 for the period 2017-18. "You are requested to pay the amount to the municipality within 15 days from the presentation of the bill failing which notice of demand will be issued and fee charged thereof. If the sum demanded in the notice is not paid and cause shown to the satisfaction of the municipality why the same should not be paid or an appeal preferred under section 164 of the Act, the dues will be recovered under the warrant of distress under section 174 of the Act," the notice warned.
A look at the notice revealed that while the municipality has raised a bill of Rs 89,945 as the house tax for the current year, an amount of Rs 1.79 lakh has been shown as arrears, indicating that the department of Art and Culture has not paid the house tax over the last three years.
Sources in the municipality informed that the house tax notice has gone to the district library at Colmorod on Wednesday.
Incidentally, a circular issued by the Director of Municipal Administration way back in the year 2002, however, speaks of exemption of house tax to government buildings, both state and central governments. The circular further stated that the government buildings are not liable to pay the property tax whether they are used for commercial purposes or not.
When The Goan contacted Margao Municipal Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes, he said he would examine the issue in the light of the circular issued by the Director of Municipal Administration in 2002.
"The circular bars the municipalities from raising house tax bill on government buildings. I will check up with the taxation section how the house tax notice has gone to the district library. May be the district library was earlier assessed by the council and the house tax notice must be going to the library as a matter of routine procedure," Johnson said, while promising to check up with the taxation section after resuming office in the first week of January.
