Gram Panchayats Withdraws Notices To Foxconn After KIADB Intervention
KIADB will initiate steps to recover property taxes due for Koira and Vishwanathapura gram panchayats and transfer the amount to the two panchayats: Officials Sources
BENGALURU: Notices served on Foxconn Hon Hoi Technology Private Limited, Devanahalli of Bengaluru Rural district by Koira and Vishwanathapura gram panchayats over non-payment of property tax have been withdraw by officials concerned after officials of Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) stepped in to resolve the issue. Foxconn assembles for the Apple iPhone at its Unit in Devanahalli for two years.
However, the exact property taxes to be paid by Foxconn is to be assessed by officials concerned while a source in Koira gram panchayat told Deccan Chronicle “For Koira gram panchayat alone, Foxconn has to pay taxes of more than Rs 5 crore. Paying taxes to Vishwanathapura is little more than Koira.”
Official sources said now, KIADB will initiate steps to recover property taxes due for Koira and Vishwanathapura gram panchayats and transfer the amount to the two panchayats.
As per an order by KIADB, Foxconn has been asked to pay property taxes to two panchayats for 2025-26 to KIADB which will be transferred to the two panchayats and if any property tax arrears for the previous year’s 2024-25 is not paid by Foxconn, the Company has directed to pay to the concerned gram panchayats.
The decision from KIADB follows after gram panchayats members of Koira and Vishwanathapura staged a protest demanding Foxconn to clear pending property tax arrears of two years (2024-25 and 2025-26).
The gram panchayat members warned Foxconn representatives to stage a protest in front of their Unit on February 7 if steps were not initiated by the Company to settle property taxes.
The gram panchayat members stated “After Foxconn started its operations in Devanahalli Special Investment Region resulted in huge influx of people and pending property taxes hindered providing basic amenities in the region.”
The Panchayat members alleged Foxconn representatives have kept two gram panchayats in the dark and not furnished the details sought by them such as building plans while people who sacrificed their lands for the Company have not been provided jobs in their unit.