MC fails to assess house tax of schools in Zone D

Indian Express: Ludhiana: Friday, April 19, 2013.

The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation has failed to do the latest assessment of house tax in Zone D, where most posh schools are located. Also, it failed to provide complete information under the RTI Act regarding the house tax paid by schools.

As per the ‘incomplete’ information provided by the MC replying to an RTI application filed by Ravi Sharma, a city resident, out of 67 schools whose list has been provided by the civic body, only one school’s assessment has been done in 2012-13 Amar Public School. Another school, Adarsh Model School, was last assessed way back in 1996-97.

While Amar Public School with 460 square yards is being charged Rs 5,702, Adarsh Model School with 107 square yards is being charged Rs 7,484.

Moreover, as per RTI reply, the MC has provided assessment years of only four schools out of 67.

The civic body has also failed to provide the areas of the schools, giving area of only 11 schools out of 67. They are paying house tax based on earlier assessment only due to which schools built many years back and with more area are paying less house tax as compared to new schools having less area but paying more tax.

For example, as per the RTI application, BVM School, Kitchlu Nagar, is paying Rs 10,206 with 7,845 square yards area while S K Model School with only 200 square yards is being charged Rs 34,830.

However, the schools like Kundan Vidya Mandir (Rs 2,11,345), Guru Nanak Public School (Rs 1,02,870), DAV Public School (Rs 1,92,132), BCM Arya Model (Rs 1,66,860), Sat Paul Mittal (Rs 97,200) and Guru Harsahai Public School (Rs 1,10,970) have emerged as the top house tax payers.

When contacted, additional commissioner Davinder Singh directed this reporter to house tax superintendent (overall incharge of city) Abdul Sattar who said, “I will be able to answer only after checking RTI application personally.”