The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has started sending inflated bills to residents under the head of property tax and development charges even though a review committee is yet to give its input regarding the proposed increase in taxes and another fee.
After the RCB had drastically increased property tax and development charges under Section 25 of the Cantonment Act the elected representative had challenged it and the executive officer had formed a review committee to look into the matter and propose recommendations before implementing the levy. However, the RCB has started sending notices to owners having more than five marlas tp pay Rs60,000 property tax annually who were earlier charged up to Rs7,000 and Rs 0.1 million under development charges instead of Rs40,000 charged earlier for the construction of a house on the same size of the plot.
With the implementation of the levy, public representatives are under immense pressure from residents to do away with the increased taxes.
Earlier, the cantonment administration had formed a review committee comprised of elected members and the direct nominees to look into the matter after the public representatives took a strong stand against the increased development charges, property tax and other commercialisation fee.
However, despite the fact that the matter is still pending in the committee, the RCB has issued tax notices to the residents with the increased rates.
RCB spokesman Qaiser Mehmood said that the process of issuing increased tax bills cannot be stopped till the review committee decides the matter.
He said that the recommendations of the review committee will be implemented as and when they poured in.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2022.
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