By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 27: Cabinet Minister Sanbor Shullai has raised concerns over the exorbitant land rent in the Shillong Cantonment Area, questioning the disparity in tax structures compared to adjacent municipal areas.
Shullai argued that there should not be two different tax systems for cantonment and municipal zones. Leading a BJP delegation to New Delhi, Shullai met Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth and Director General of Defence Estate Shoba Gupta to submit a representation against the "abnormal" tax hike following the
implementation of an interim policy.
In his submission, Shullai requested the Ministry to amend the policy and cap rent at 25% of the calculated Standard Table of Rents (STR) for existing lessees. He noted that the sharp increase in rent has led to ongoing litigation in the Supreme Court and various High Courts across the country.
The Minister urged the government to frame a comprehensive policy to bring cantonment rents at par with adjoining municipal rates. The delegation also requested the speedy implementation of building bye-laws and the sanctioning of a 6-lakh-litre reservoir to meet the water requirements of the Shillong Cantonment Area.
Shullai invited the MoS to visit Shillong in February to lay foundation stones for several upcoming projects. He also indicated that the BJP delegation is likely to meet the Prime Minister to seek cabinet approval for the proposed policy changes.
