Departmental report to Exempt Xattras from Paying Annual Land Tax in February

EXEMPTING XATTRAS FROM LAND REVENUE

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Revenue & Disaster Management Department has already received reports from the majority of Deputy Commissioners (DCs) regarding the annual land revenue being paid by the xattras across the State. The Department is now actively considering the possibility of exempting all these neo-Vaishnavite religious monasteries from paying any such revenue.

This move was undertaken following the direction of Chief Minister’s Office after a plea was made by the Burha Xattriya of Barpeta Xattra Basistha Deva Sarma to the CM seeking exemption of the Barpeta Xattra from paying the annual land revenue to the government.

After that, the CM’s office on its own collected the data on land revenue that is paid by the xattras from the respective DCs. It was found that these religious institutions pay approximately Rs 9 lakh annually. The office then directed the Revenue & Disaster Management Department to examine whether such exemptions can be granted.

Departmental sources informed that once compilation of the collected data is completed, they will submit the detailed report to the CM’s Office in February.

There are about 99,000 bighas of land under the xattras across the State.

As per the present rules, the areas of the main xattras are tax free. However, the plots where the ‘bhakats’ or the priests reside fall within the taxable purview, and 50 per cent of the assessed tax is charged for such areas of the xattras.

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