STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: In a significant move, the Administrative Council (AC), which met on Monday under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, approved the waiver/exemption of 50 percent of Passenger Tax chargeable on various vehicles from 1st April, 2021 to 31st March, 2022.
Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary, J&K and Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor attended the meeting.
The decision will address the genuine demand of the operators of commercial transport who have suffered losses on account of COVID-19 induced nation-wide lockdown and restrictions leading to non-operationalization of the public transport.
For owners of commercial vehicles, who have already deposited the passenger tax for aforesaid period in full, the excess amount paid thereof by them shall be adjusted against the liability accrued or accruable in the next financial year i.e for the time period of 1st April, 2022 to 31st March, 2023.
Further, the recovery of the outstanding passenger tax from the owners of the commercial vehicles for the financial year 2018-19 to 2021-22 will be made in four equal installments on quarterly basis commencing from 1st April, 2022.
The Administrative Council also approved the proposal of Revenue Department to transfer various parcels of land for public purposes.
The Administrative Council approved the transfer of land measuring 06 Kanal in favour of Jal Shakti Department for construction of Over Head Tank (OHT)/Rapid Sand Filtration Plant (RSFP)/Pump cum operator quarter WSS Barzulla Colony and establishment of PHE Division Office, Pulwama.
The Administrative Council further approved the transfer of land measuring 80 Kanal situated at village Rakh-I-Asham, Sumbal (30 Kanal), Hajin (20 Kanal) and Bandipora (30 Kanal) in district Bandipora to Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UDD) for establishing dumping sites for solid waste management. Proper and scientific disposal of solid waste will boost public health by providing cleaner environment and assist in abetting environmental degradation and pollution, besides realizing the vision of litter-free J&K.