Chandigarh: 400 residents pay house tax on day one

He said that all the centres would soon have helpdesks to assist the residents in filling out their forms and submitting the right amount of house tax. “RWAs will also be roped in to facilitate the residents,” he said.

Assessment forms are available free of cost in the specified places. These can be downloaded from the site of Municipal Corporation as well.

The residents who submitted their house tax on Wednesday got 40 per cent rebate on their total calculated amount.

This facility is available to people who will pay the house tax within 60 days of the start of the self-assessment scheme. A 30 per cent rebate is being offered to those who will clear their dues within 61 to 120 days. Further, a rebate of 20 per cent will be given to those who pay their house tax within 121 to 180 days.

However, the administration has proposed heavy penalty for late risers. A person who does not pay the above tax within the prescribed period of 180 days from the start of the self-assessment scheme will have to pay 25 per cent extra over and above the taxable amount along with an interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum.

The house tax is being calculated on the vacant part of the plot area (after deducting plinth area) and the total built area as per the permitted floor area ratio (FAR).

However, defence personnel, both in service and retired, widows as well as physically disabled, who own up to 300 square yard (14-marla house) have been exempted. The tax could be deposited at any specified location free of cost, said officials.

Pay house tax online soon

The local administration will soon introduce online facility for the payment of house tax. Adviser to Administrator Vijay Kumar Dev told the media that the administration was planning to bring this facility within two weeks.

First taxpayers sector-wise

Secretary (local bodies) Anurag Agarwal said that the UT would prepare a list of first tax payer of every sector. They will be felicitated during the coming Independence Day celebrations.