கடிதம் (நிலை) எண்.549, நாள் 20.10.2010
The Tamil Nadu Revenue Department, through Government Secretary K. Dhanavel, Indian Administrative Service, issued Letter (Ms.) Number 549 on 20 October 2010, directing the Commissioners of Revenue Administration and Land Administration to examine and propose changes to laws and rules concerning specified land revenue and irrigation charges. The letter does not itself amend any law or set a charge, but seeks immediate proposals based on five Revenue Department government orders issued on 20 October 2010.
Purpose
The Tamil Nadu Revenue Department's Letter (Ms.) Number 549, dated 20 October 2010, asks the Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Revenue Administration and the Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Land Administration to review the relevant laws and rules. They must identify the amendments or deletions needed to implement earlier government decisions concerning land revenue, water charges and irrigation related levies, and send proposals to the Government immediately.
The letter is an administrative direction to senior officials. It does not itself amend the laws or rules, calculate an individual landowner's liability, or prescribe any rate or fee.
Decisions covered
Letter (Ms.) Number 549 refers to Revenue Department Government Orders (Ms.) Numbers 544, 545, 546, 547 and 548, all dated 20 October 2010. According to the letter, those government orders:
- simplified the method of collecting land revenue;
- removed the charges described as Theervai Jasthi and Fasli Jasthi;
- fixed the penal water tax;
- removed the Additional Water Cess; and
- removed the Betterment Levy for irrigation development.
The Commissioners were asked to study what corresponding amendments or deletions were required in the applicable laws and rules.
Who is directly involved
Letter (Ms.) Number 549 is addressed to the Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Revenue Administration and the Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Land Administration at Ezhilagam, Chepauk, Chennai.
Copies were also sent to the Principal Secretary of the Public Works Department, the Principal Secretary of the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, and the Commissioner concerned with municipal administration and water supply.
Relevance to landowners and buyers
Landowners, buyers and property professionals may be affected where land revenue, water tax, penal water tax, Additional Water Cess or Betterment Levy appears in a demand or land record. However, Letter (Ms.) Number 549 only begins the process of aligning laws and rules with the five referenced government orders. The letter contains no property specific decision, tax calculation, rate, refund procedure or direct instruction to members of the public.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Does Letter (Ms.) Number 549 itself abolish Additional Water Cess?
No. The letter states that a referenced government order removed Additional Water Cess and asks officials to propose the necessary amendments or deletions to laws and rules.
Does the letter remove the Betterment Levy?
The letter records that one of the referenced Revenue Department government orders removed the Betterment Levy. It directs officials to examine the related laws and rules and send amendment proposals to the Government.
Does Letter (Ms.) Number 549 specify how much penal water tax must be paid?
No. The letter says that penal water tax was fixed under the referenced government orders, but it does not state a rate or calculate any person's liability.
What action were the land administration authorities required to take?
The Principal Secretaries and Commissioners of Revenue Administration and Land Administration were asked to study the required amendments or deletions in the relevant laws and rules and send proposals to the Government immediately.
