Jamshedpur, June 21: Mango’s residents have voiced their opinion on their taxes.

The process to implement the proposed per square-feet basis holding tax in Mango Notified Area reached its final stage after recording public opinion.

The Mango Notified Area Committee (MNAC) authorities made a fresh proposal of the proposed holding tax after taking the opinion of individuals and organisations for a feasible holding tax structure.

Mango was the first municipal body to initiate steps to implement holding tax in accordance with the state government's directive to fix holding tax on the basis of per square feet. Earlier, people of the area would pay holding tax on the basis of a plot of land, which amounted to a very paltry amount that varied between Rs 2-Rs 25 per plot of land per year.

According to the MNAC proposal, the area had been categorised in three different zones in accordance to the importance of the area concerned. Significantly, the land owners would have to pay an average of Rs 1,000 per plot of land per year as Holding Tax, instead of just Rs 10 that they had been paying to the MNAC since the past 27 years. Not surprisingly, this had led to widespread protest.

The fresh proposal, taking into account the opinion of people from all walks of life, would be more people-friendly. Speaking on the fresh move, the MNAC special officer, J.P. Yadav said the civic body has prepared a holding tax structure after taking public opinion.The fresh proposal would shortly be sent to the department of Urban Development, Jharkhand, for administrative approval, he added.

The system of holding tax per plot of land was being followed since 1980, but though the population of Mango has since almost doubled, the revenue accrued was nominal. So the MNAC had brought in a huge change in the holding tax structure and had also incorporated some new areas in the municipal area fold.