THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: During the city corporation council meeting on Saturday, the tax reform bill was approved without an increase in house taxes. The current tax for houses up to 300 square metres stands at Rs 16. Although a proposal was made under the Kerala Municipality Act to raise the tax from Rs 10 to Rs 22, it has been decided to maintain it at Rs 16.
Tax adjustments have been made to Rs 20 for homestays up to 300 square metres, Rs 25 for homestays exceeding 300 square metres, and Rs 20 for houses. Likewise, the tax for private hostels and resorts will be raised to Rs 100, while lodges and hotels up to 300 square metres will see an increase to Rs 80, and those above 300 square metres will be taxed at Rs 90. The tax reform will become effective within 15 days of the draft agenda’s approval.
Under the Kerala Municipality Act, tax reform involves revising property tax rates every five years. The previous tax reform in the state took place in April 2016, with subsequent reforms postponed due to circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic and flooding. A draft agenda, based on a notification from the Local Government Department to implement reforms starting April 1, was presented to the council during the meeting.
Even as BJP members initially opposed the agenda, Deputy Mayor P K Raju informed the council that the presented agenda was a draft subject to amendments. Councilor Amshu Vamadevan highlighted that the house tax had been increased in the BJP-governed Palakkad Municipal Corporation.