Manipur Government decides to hike land tax

Imphal, May 05: To enhance revenue of the State exchequer, the State Government has decided to increase tax of different categories of land including the Hill House tax. According to an official source the Hill House tax will be increased from its present tax of Rs 6 per year to Rs 50 annually. The last revision of the Hill House tax was effected in 1975 when the tax was raised from Rs 3 to 6 per year. The Government has also decided to impose grazing tax to the tune of Rs 1 per cattle head in the Scheduled Hill Areas including those belonging to Nepalese. Land tax of Rs 52 annually per hectare will also be levied on play grounds, grazing grounds, places of worship, community centres and park and recreation centres. A sum of Rs 84 per hectare annually on agricultural land under Phourel class would also be levied while for Taothabi class the land revenue will be Rs 52 per hectare annually. All lands under Anganphou class have also been clubbed together along with Phourel class. The earlier tax rate for Phourel class was Rs 38.70 per hectare annually while for Taothabi class the tax rate was Rs 30.95. As a preventive measure against under evaluation of land by parties at the time of registration of sale/mortgage/gift deeds etc, the Government has fixed Rs 20,0000 per hectare of Phourel class as the minimum land value while for Taothabi class the rate is fixed at Rs 80,000 per hectare. The Government has also decided to impose a tax rate of Rs 21,519 per hectare annually in the commercial areas of Lamlai area including Lamlai bazar in Imphal east, trading centres at Thoubal, Wangjing, Kakching, Sugnu, Lilong, Yairipok bazar in Thoubal district while in Imphal West the same rate will be imposed at trading centres of Lamshang, Sekmai, Mayang Imphal, Samurou, Wangoi, Yumnam Huidrom bazar. Similar tax rate will also be imposed on residential and trading centres coming under Imphal municipality and also in Bishnupur municipal town area. The land value at these areas has been fixed at 500 per square feet. Land tax of Rs 43.039 per hectare annually has also been levied at commercial areas of Imphal West and East. Two zones have been earmarked at the commercial centres of the Imphal East and West for the purpose of working out the land value. In zone 1 the land value has been fixed at Rs 2000 per square feet while in zone 2 the value is fixed at a minimum of Rs 1000 per square feet.