Thiruvananthapuram: Cabinet on Wednesday decided to roll back the hike in building tax levied on houses in panchayats and municipalities with a built up area of up to 2000 sq ft.
The decision was taken on the basis of recommendation given by Panchayats Raj Minister M K Muneer and Municipal Affairs Minister Manjalamkuzhi Ali. The hike came into effect from April 1, 2013.
According to chief minister, the tax levied based on the hike from house owners will be adjusted in the tax payable next year.
The increased tax is only applicable to houses having an area of more than 2000 sq feet not exceeding 25 per cent of the tax.
In case if any expansion work had been carried out to the buildings after the hike came into effect from April 1,2013 , the tax would be calculated in proportion to the tax levied prior to the hike.
For commercial buildings the annual tax should not exceed 100 per cent of the tax levied earlier.
The government also decided to completely exempt the tax on houses having an area up to 660 sq ft with effect from April 1, 2015. This will be applicable for both panchayat and municipalities
Negotiated purchase powers: Cabinet has bestowed district collectors with the powers to acquire the required land through negotiated purchase for completing important construction works of PWD which had got delayed because of land acquisition problems. The new direction will remain in force till the new land acquiiton law comes into force.
Chief Minister said that the Centre was introducing several amendments to the 2013 Act which was further delaying the process of state to fame the law. Cabinet decided to give nod to collectors since all PWD works were getting affected as the state was not able to frame the law. It is in this background the Cabinet decided to go for negotiated purchase of land.
He said the PWD had completed the works of 100 bridges within 400 days but due to non availability of land for construction approach roads, these could not be opened.
Kannur airport: Cabinet accorded sanction to Kannur International Airport Authority Ltd to directly purchase 11.44 acres of land for completion of runway.
IAS official's promotion: K Suresh Kumar, 1989 batch IAS officer, has been included panel that includes officers who are being considered for the grade of principal secretary. The scrutinising committee that convened on April 17,2015 recommended his name.
Kerala Administrative Tribunal: Cabinet decided to request Governor to approve the Kerala High Court Chief Justice's recommendation to post Justice T Ramachandran Nair in the valency arising on September 3, 2015, following the retirement of Chairman of Administrative Tribunal.
Solar Park: 200 mega watt solar park to be set up on 500 acres of land set aside for zero landless project at Ambalathara Village in Kasargod district.
Rs 2 crore for Devaswom recruitment board.
Local Fund Audit Department renamed to Kerala State Audit Department, Malabar Garden Society in Kozhikode to be renamed as Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute of Plant Science.
ITI building to be constructed at Malayankeezhu 77.1 ares of land belonging to Govt VHSS School.
