JMC implements substantial increases in fees and taxes, introduces new charges

Jammu: The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) has recently approved significant hikes in various fees and taxes. The elevated fees for issuing and renewing NOCs take immediate effect or start from January 1, 2024, while the rents for shops, godowns, garages, grounds, and fields have surprisingly been increased retrospectively from April 1, 2023.

The fee for obtaining licences or NOCs for various business establishments, ranging from street vendors to shops and hotels, has undergone a substantial increase from 8 percent to 25 percent with immediate effect.

Additionally, the yearly Trade Tax has nearly doubled in many cases. Furthermore, the JMC has raised various fees and taxes related to the Building Section, introducing a one-time new Draftsman Registration fee of Rs 12,000.

These decisions were made during the Central Purchase Committee meeting of the Jammu Municipal Corporation, chaired by the JMC Commissioner on December 8.

Among the changes highlighted in the meeting minutes, fees for constructing residential buildings for the ground and subsequent floors have surged by approximately 148 percent, from Rs 32.28 per sqm to Rs 80 per sqm.

Sanitation charges, septic tank security fees, copying fees, and mulba security fees have also witnessed notable increases. The retrospective 25 percent increase in rent rates for municipal shops, godowns, garages, grounds, and fields from April 1, 2023, adds another layer of complexity.

Additionally, rents for grounds and fields used for religious events and exhibitions have doubled.Hawkers’ (street vendors) license fees for selling items like cigarettes, pan, ice cream, tea, and golgappa have increased from 20 to 30 percent, effective from January 1, 2024.

The application fee for permission to install a firecracker stall has risen from Rs 300 to Rs 1000. Moreover, municipal fees for online issuance/renewal of NOCs for various business establishments have significantly increased, and yearly Trade Tax has seen an escalation from 50 percent to 150 percent.New fees have been introduced for NOCs for new lodges and their renewals, ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 13,500, respectively.

Several other establishments, such as retail stores, hospitals, higher secondary institutions, coaching institutes, tuition centers, private libraries, pollution checking centers, and gyms, which were previously exempt from such charges, will now incur substantial NOC fees.

The rates for advertising through hoardings have also been revised and fixed at Rs 7.50 per sqft per day, effective immediately.

These decisions were unanimously agreed upon by committee members, including Joint Commissioner (A), JMC; Joint Commissioner (R&E), JMC; Joint Commissioner (W) JMC; Deputy Commissioner (N), JMC; Secretary JMC; Chief Accounts Officer JMC; and Informatics officer JMC.