The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Profession tax raised

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Thursday, Jul 23, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Profession tax raised

Staff Reporter

New rates may be implemented with retrospective effect

— Photo: R. Ragu

HEAT ON THE FLOOR: Councillors having an exchange of words with Mayor M. Subramanian at the Council meeting on Wednesday.

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation Council on Wednesday approved an increase in the rates of profession tax. It will approach the State government seeking permission to implement the rates with retrospective effect from October 2008.

According to a resolution passed by the Council, those earning between Rs.21,001 and Rs.30,000 a month will now have to pay Rs.100 half-yearly as profession tax instead of Rs.75 that they pay now. Those drawing a monthly salary of Rs.30,001 to Rs.45,000 would have to pay Rs.235 every six months as the tax against Rs.188.

Those earning between Rs.45,001 and Rs.60,000 salary would have to pay Rs.510 in place of Rs.390. Those with a monthly salary of Rs.60,001 to Rs.75,000 would pay Rs.760 instead of Rs.585, while for those earning above Rs.75,001 the professiontax would be Rs.1,095 instead of Rs.810. As in the existing system, those earning up to Rs.21,000 would be exempt from the levy. With this, the civic body expects to mobilise an additional Rs.30 crore to Rs.35 crore annually. This year it had set Rs.85 crore as the target for professiontax collection.

Mayor M. Subramanian said that the revision was necessitated as the Chennai Corporation required funds to implement the recommendations of Sixth Pay Commission for its employees. On implementation, the expenditure under the head salaries would be Rs.72 crore a year. It would also be required to pay arrears of Rs.108 crore, too.

Property tax

The Chennai Corporation Council also passed a resolution to levy property tax on the premises of educational institutions, including private schools, colleges and government-aided schools. “So far, educational institutions have been exempt from paying property tax under the Madras Municipal Corporation Act, 1919,” Mr. Subramanian said, adding that the schools charge fees from the students. He said that aided schools would be charged less property tax than private institutions.

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