HYDERABAD: The Telangana high court has directed the state govt to release 40 crore in property tax transfer (TPT) charges to the Secunderabad cantonment board (SCB), following a writ petition filed by the board’s nominated member. This latest development addresses the issue of delayed TPT payments that affected the cantonment’s operations.
The court’s order comes in response to a delay in the transfer of TPT charges from the state govt to the SCB. The ruling marks a significant win for the cantonment board, bringing the total amount received to nearly 90 crore out of the estimated 100 crore due. Previously, the board had received 48 crore in March.
“This ruling is crucial for maintaining essential services in the cantonment area,” said J Ramakrishna, SCB’s nominated member, who filed the petition. “The delay in TPT transfers has impacted our ability to carry out development work and provide basic amenities to residents.” Before Telangana formation, the registration and stamps department transferred TPT charges directly to SCB. After statehood, the process was altered, with payments being routed through the state govt, resulting in delays.
“The new system created bureaucratic hurdles. We’ve been struggling with delayed payments for years, which has affected infrastructure projects and maintenance work in the cantonment,” Ramakrishna said
The court’s intervention comes at a crucial time for the SCB, which is facing financial constraints. “With this 40 crore, we can now clear pending bills and resume several stalled projects,” Ramakrishna added. “However, we are still awaiting the remaining dues and hope the state govt will establish a more efficient transfer mechanism.”
Confirming that the court has issued directions to state govt to release the funds, SCB CEO Madhukar Naik said, “A portion of registration amount has to be given to the cantonment. From 2017, the money was being redirected to the state’s central treasury, and from 2020 onwards our dues were not being cleared. This, along with the abolishment of OCTROI taxes has hit our coffers, and halted development works.”
Source Homevior.in
