Chandigarh August 14: On the eve of the Independence Day, Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal has approved a slew of relief measures for the people of Haryana. These include 100% exemption in property tax for the charitable educational institutions, charitable hospitals and schools for children with special needs, complete waiver of electricity bills including surcharge amount for the months of April, May and June, 2020 in respect of all religious places and a onetime 50 per cent rebate in property tax for residential properties situated in Lal Dora of villages under Municipal Bodies whose owners would clear pending arrears by October 31, 2020.

While stating this here today a spokesman of Government of Haryana said that many amendments have been carried out in the Urban Local Bodies Department Notifications dated October 11, 2013 to give effect to the measures relating to property tax and that DISCOMs would soon issue notifications in respect of electricity bills of Temples, Gurudwaras, Churches and Mosques.

The spokesman said that a onetime rebate of 25 per cent would also be allowed for property tax dues or arrears for the year 2010-11 to 2016-17 to those property tax owners who clear all the property tax dues or arrears for the year 2010-11 to 2019-20 upto October 31, 2020.

He said that in case of late payment, interest at the rate of 1.5 per cent per month or part thereof would be charged provided that one time waiver of interest on the dues and arrears of property tax pending since year 2010-11 to 2019-20 would be allowed to all taxpayers, if their arrears are paid upto October 31, 2020. An additional 5 per cent rebate would be given to property owners who would pay the property tax by auto debit system upto July 31 every year but for current year that is 2020-21 the last date would be treated as October 31, 2020. He said that the rates of property tax for activities allied to agriculture that is Dairies and Dhabas that were revised on September 19, 2019 would be made applicable with effect from October 11, 2013.

Keeping in view the hardships caused by COVID-19 pandemic, Government of Haryana has decided to waive off the electricity bills of all religious places i.e. Temples (including Buddhist & Jain temples), Gurudwaras, Churches and Masjids in the state for the period April, 2020 to June, 2020 along with corresponding surcharge amount provided that they would clear their pending dues upto March, 2020, if any by October 31, 2020.

Also, a rebate of 10 per cent would be admissible to those assesses who pay their total property dues upto October 31, 2020. He said that further 10 per cent additional rebate would be provided to those property owners who have deposited their property tax dues for the year 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 consecutively by July 31 of that year as a good tax payer reward for the year 2020-21. In case of Municipal Corporation, Gurugram the period for the purpose of 10 per cent rebate for the year 2017-18 would be considered as December 31, 2017 instead of July 31, 2017. This 10 per cent additional rebate would be available to those taxpayers who pay their yearly tax consecutively for each three year block in stipulated time in future also. He said that the date for the next three year block, for the year 2020-21, would be considered as October 30, 2020 instead of July 31, 2020.

For the property tax payers in Municipalities of the State, Haryana Government has allowed a onetime rebate of 50 per cent on residential properties situated in Lal Dora of villages falling in the jurisdiction of Municipal Corporations, Committees and Councils to those property owners who clear all property tax dues or arrears for the year 2010-11 to 2019-20 upto October 31, 2020.

He said that it has also been decided to grant an exemption of 100 per cent to charitable educational institutions, charitable hospital and schools for children with special needs where the fees or rates equivalent to government schools and government hospitals are charged, including approved colleges, schools, hospitals and dispensaries if such building and lands or portions thereof are either owned by the charitable educational institutions and charitable hospitals concerned or have been placed at the disposal of such charitable educational institutions and charitable hospital without payment of any rent. However, no exemption would be given to any property, if any portion thereof has been constructed or used for commercial purposes, he added.