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Jammu, Aug 31 (UNI) With an aim to generate resources for Panchayats, Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to levy Rs 10,000 per annum from the private cellular operators for setting-up each mobile tower in the rural areas, a senior government official today said.

''The mobile operators will have to obtain the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the concerned Block Development Officer, who will collect a fee of Rs 10,000 for each tower in favour of concerned Panchyat,'' Director Rural Development Department Manoj Kumar Dwivdi told UNI.

As Panchayat are dissolved in the state, the fee will be collected in favour of the village committees, which comprise Panchs and Sarpanchs, Mr Dwivdi asserted.

The cellular companies would have to pay a renewal fee of Rs 10,000 in the month of April every year, to which the fee pertains, for each tower set-up in the areas other than cities, the Director said.

The NOC from the Rural Development Department will be one of the pre-conditions for the Power Development Department for issuance of a power connection in favour of the company setting-up mobile tower, Mr Dwivdi said.

However, public sector Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has not been kept in the purview, he added.

UNI