Cabinet approves building tax (amendment) ordinance, collect as two taxes

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The cabinet has decided to approve the Kerala Building Tax (Amendment) Ordinance 2023. The 50-year-old Kerala Building Tax Act will be amended. The Kerala Building Tax Act came into force on April 1 in 1973. One-time building tax and luxury tax are levied based on the floor area of the building. Both these taxes are levied and collected by the revenue department. There are thousands of domestic and non-domestic buildings in the state that are not tax assessed. Due to this, there is a huge loss of revenue to the government. The amendment is to make tax collection transparent and efficient.

Compassionate appointment
25% amount will be deducted from the salary of the employees who do not comply with the assurances. The government will take action against the employees who violate the conditions after entering the government service by agreeing to protect the dependents of the dead employees.

The order will be issued authorizing the appointing authorities to deduct 25 per cent of the monthly basic pay of the employees not protecting their dependents and pay it to the eligible dependents.

If the employees entering job under the Compassionate Employment Scheme do not take care of their dependents, the dependents can lodge a written complaint against the said employee to the appointing authority. Protection is defined as food, property, shelter, treatment and care.

25% of the basic pay will be seized monthly and deposited in the bank account of the dependents after the complaint of them is investigated through the Tehsildar concerned and the report is obtained. Employees upset by the Tehsildar's inquiry can appeal to the district collector within three months. The decision taken by the district collector on the complaint will be final.

Dependents are not entitled to the above protection if they are entitled to family pension. However, the employees employed under the above provision are liable to protect their dependents who are getting social security pension and pension from welfare fund boards.

Jurisdiction of judicial first-class magistrates to impose fines will be enhanced
The jurisdiction of judicial first class magistrates to impose fines will be enhanced from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 lakh. For this, the Cabinet meeting approved the recommendation given by the Registrar General of the High Court to amend the sub-section of Section 29 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.

The action is taken in view of the situation where fines for traffic violations have increased tenfold with the introduction of the Motor Vehicle Laws (Amendment) Act 2019.
As the maximum fine that a judicial first class magistrate can impose is only Rs10000, the prosecution procedures of the existing Judicial Magistrate Court were significantly affected. Considering this, the cabinet meeting decided to approve the draft bill to amend.

Kerala Piravi celebrations
Seminars and related programs will be organized in Thiruvananthapuram from November 1 to 7 as part of the Kerala formation day celebrations

Continuance permission
Continuance permission will be given for 1012 temporary posts in Economic Statistics Department (including 872 posts in Central Plan Section, one post of Deputy Director of Computer Section in State Plan Head and 139 posts in Non-Plan Head) from 01.04.2022 to 31.03.2023 and from 01.04.2023 to 31.03.2024.

248 posts belonging to 13 LA General Offices in the state will be granted continuance for one year from 01.04.2023.

Pay Revision
11th Pay Revision has been approved for the employees of Kerafed with effect from 01.07.2019. 11th Pay Revision for Government Approved Permanent Employees of Child Development Center to be implemented with effect from July 1, 2019.

Appointment
The government has approved hiring of international property consultants to market built-up space and land in IT parks and their satellite campuses. Appointment will be on transaction/success fee basis. The appointment will be made by the chief executives of the respective Government IT Parks.