Houses in the state with approved waste management systems will now be eligible for 5 per cent tax relaxation. The local self-government department (LSGD) has issued an order empowering panchayats and corporations to give 5 per cent tax deduction to house owners who have installed composting facilities approved by the Suchitwa Mission. 

A survey conducted by the Kudumbasree has identified that only 26 per cent of total households in Kerala currently have waste-management facilities. The tax rebate is being introduced to bring more households under the source-level waste management system. Suchitwa Mission has approved as many as 23 models for waste management in houses. 

Eligible house owners can file an application via Haritha Mithram app with a self-declaration. The official in charge of the ward will conduct a probe with the help of Haritha karma sena and a a report will be submitted to the Secretary of the local body concerned. The Secretary shall direct the officials with the property tax wing to consider the application. The tax relaxation will be valid for a period of one year. The list of households which have been given tax relaxation will be presented to the Gram sabha. 

Every year, the status of the waste management system will be checked online and tax relaxation will be renewed. In case the application develops technical snag, relaxation can be given based on the report of the official with the property tax wing. 

At present, the order has been limited only to households. The state government has been stressing the need to install decentralised waste management facilities in the wake of illegal waste dumping in water bodies and unauthorised collection of waste by private agencies. Neighbouring states had raised complaints against agencies which collect household waste from Kerala and dump it in abandoned plots there. 

Property tax is the major source revenue of the local bodies in Kerala. The tax is calculated for the plinth area of the building in accordance with its use at the rates applicable per square metre. Property tax for a year can be remitted in two half-year installments.