Kerala Govt mulls one pc cess on big houses

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 17 (UNI) Kerala Forest Minister Binoy Viswam, who is also in-charge of Housing, today told the Assembly that the government was planning to introduce certain restrictions on building big houses in the state.

The government was planning to impose one a per cent cess on the cost of individual houses or flats exceeding 3,000 sq ft built-up area, to bring comprehensive development in the housing sector, he said in a written reply to Mr A M Yousuf (CPM) and others.

He said the amount accrued from the cess would be pooled into the state-assisted housing schemes for rural and urban poor people.

The government was seriously considering an amendent in the existing Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act-1965.

Though the Housing Board had no scheme for providing houses to the BPL people, it was seriously considering to construct houses for them and for those living in purambok land, he added.

UNI