Consider the following statements with respect to taxation of local go...
• Statement 1 is incorrect: Property taxes are not the only sources of direct tax revenue at the third tier of government. There are other sources too.
Taxation of local governments in India
• The property taxes collected at the second and third tiers of government are land tax assessed and collected at the state level; building tax, including property/house tax collected at the municipality (ULG) and gram panchayats (RLG) level.
• Property taxes are the principal sources of direct tax revenue at the third tier of government, apart from professional taxes.
• The collections from these potentially buoyant sources of revenue are generally stacked at very low levels because of archaic base values—far below market values— applied to properties, low rates of taxes levied, and lack of powers to local bodies in some states like Odisha and Rajasthan.
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Consider the following statements with respect to taxation of local go...
Explanation:
Statement 1: Property taxes are the only sources of direct tax revenue at the third tier of government.
This statement is incorrect. Property taxes are one of the sources of direct tax revenue at the third tier of government, but they are not the only source. Other sources of direct tax revenue for local governments in India include taxes on professions, trades, callings, and employment, as well as taxes on vehicles, entertainment, and advertisements.
Statement 2: The tax collections of local governments from potentially buoyant sources of revenue are generally stacked at very low levels.
This statement is correct. Local governments in India often face challenges in effectively collecting taxes from potentially buoyant sources of revenue. This is due to various factors such as weak administrative capacity, lack of awareness among taxpayers, and resistance from influential groups. As a result, the tax collections from these sources are generally low, limiting the revenue generation capacity of local governments.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, statement 1 is incorrect as property taxes are not the only sources of direct tax revenue at the third tier of government. Statement 2 is correct as the tax collections from potentially buoyant sources of revenue are generally stacked at low levels. Therefore, the correct answer is option 'B' (2 only).
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