West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has given approval to ‘The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2023’, which includes a provision exempting schools from property tax payments, as per reports.
The bill, passed by the state assembly in September last year, aims to amend the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980 (West Ben. Act LIX of 1980) to exempt lands or buildings housing educational institutions administered or aided by the state government from property tax obligations.
Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim stated that the bill will enhance clarity and transparency in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s financial records, as government and government-aided schools collectively generate property tax bills exceeding Rs 10 crore annually, many of which remain unrealized.
As per official data, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s jurisdiction encompasses 1,329 primary schools, 556 secondary schools, and 78 colleges, totaling approximately 1,963 properties. Although the state government covers salaries and other operational expenses for these institutions, there was no provision for property tax payments until now, leading to a significant backlog of unpaid taxes.
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