THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal on Wednesday announced the revised basic land tax rates for existing slabs.
The Minister, addressing the House during the general discussion on the 2022-23 Budget, announced the revised basic land tax rates as follows (existing rates in brackets): Grama panchayats: Up to 8.1 Are - ₹5 per Are (₹2.50), above 8.1 Are - ₹8 per Are (₹5). Municipalities: up to ₹2.43 Are - ₹10 per Are (₹5), above 2.43 Are - ₹15 per Are (₹10). Corporations: up to 1.62 Are - ₹20 Are (₹10), above 1.62 Are - ₹30 (₹20). (One Are is equal to 2.47 cents.).
In his Budget speech, Mr. Balagopal had announced that the basic land tax rates would be revised across all slabs, and a new slab would be introduced for above 40.47 Ares in panchayats, municipalities and Corporations. The proposed 10% hike in fair value of land would have prospective effect and come into force from April. The MLA asset development fund, fixed at ₹5 crore a year, had been reinstated, the Minister said.
Mr. Balagopal said diesel autorickshaws will be exempted from the payment of green tax.
The Minister also announced additional proposals to the tune of ₹46.35 crore. This includes ₹2 crore for strengthening the drone research and forensic science wing and deploying CCTV cameras in the police department and increasing the compensation to victims of wild animal attacks from ₹7 crore to ₹10 crore.
Disappointing: Oppn.
Speaking on the occasion, Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan called the Budget proposals disappointing. ''Budgets should be assessed in terms of fiscal indicators. The question is whether the government can realise the projects announced in the Budget,'' he said. The previous Budget would not score even 30% marks if it were to undergo a performance audit, he said.
During the 2021-22 fiscal, there was drop in own revenue to the tune of ₹13,000 crore. Non-tax revenue dropped by ₹4,297 crore against the estimates, he said. The State government had announced that development works worth ₹50,000 crore would be implemented through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) in five years. Projects worth only ₹4,429 crore have been completed so far.
Mr. Satheesan urged the Finance Minister to return unspent amount from the asset development funds of MLAs which were collected for tackling the third wave of COVID-19. Of the ₹564 crore collected, only ₹36.2 crore was spent, he alleged.
He alleged lapses in Plan fund utilisation, saying that only 69% was spent till March 15, and blamed the government for failing to step up the collection of tax arrears.
