Kerala withdraws proposal for higher tax on vacant houses

A proposal in the Kerala budget to impose higher building tax on houses that are lying vacant has been withdrawn.

Resentment from NRIs was learnt to be the reason for withdrawing the proposal.

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal informed the assembly on Wednesday that it was just a proposal to increase the revenue of the local bodies. But since many have raised concerns the government has decided not to implement it. Houses of many NRIs are lying closed, he added.