RCB reduces revised building fees, property tax

[Salman]

RCB reduces revised building fees, property tax

Rawalpindi: Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has reduced recently revised commercial and residential property taxes, construction fees and rates of different application forms for providing relief to residents of the cantonment area.

According to details, the decision has been taken to give relaxation to the cantonment residents particularly in residential and commercial property taxes and construction charges.

According to the new formula now reduced tax with 10 per cent increase on residential property and 25 per cent increase on commercial property would be charged for 2011-12 and all earlier notices issued in this regard stand cancelled. Condition of providing approved building plan with photograph of the building has been cancelled for tax exemption to five-marla houses.

Similarly, the residents would get relief on transfer of property, as they would be charged TIP tax on DC rate instead of the Valuation Table of RCB. The step would provide 25 to 30 percent tax concession to the residents. The rates for different forms have also been considerably reduced.

Development charges for commercial construction have been reduced and now Rs750 per square yard would be charged instead of Rs1000 while for residential construction the charges would be Rs175 per square yard instead of Rs300.

In view of the demand of the citizens of the area, now fine on late registration of birth and death certificates would not be charged. Fine would also not be taken on illegal water connections if they are regularized within three months. The decisions were reached at meetings held with public representatives including Member National Assembly (MNA) Malik Muhammad Ibrar, MPA Chaudhary Muhammad Ayaz, former members cantonment board, Raja Jahandad, Raja Irfan Imtiaz and Malik Muhammad Munir, Rasheed Khan, Chairman Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal Zamrud Khan, former Vice President Cantonment Board Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Malik Mahboob Elahi, Ch. Muhammad Hanif, Malik Niaz Awan and Rizwan Ahmed.

Prior to this decision, the RCB had raised the charges of application forms available for different basic matters from Rs20 to Rs200. Now it has been decided that RCB would charge Rs50 for each application form.