Online refunds for excess building permits: Kerala Minister MB Rajesh

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Jul 25, 2024, 2:46 PM IST

The Kerala government has withdrawn its decision to increase building permit fees. As a result, those who had paid higher fees earlier will receive a refund of the excess amount paid, said Minister MB Rajesh. The refund process will be done online, and the government will soon issue an order to facilitate the reimbursement.

Thiruvananthapuram: Minister MB Rajesh announced that concessions on building permits will take effect beginning from April 10, 2023. Individuals who previously paid higher permit fees will receive online reimbursements. The minister emphasized that applicants should submit their requests online, and the refund will be deposited directly into their bank accounts. He assured that the local bodies will issue a formal order soon to facilitate the online refund process, eliminating the need for in-person visits to claim the reimbursement.

Kerala govt slashes building permit up to 60 per cent; new rates to be effective from August 1

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The state government has withdrawn its decision to drastically increase building permit fees. The building permit fees have been reduced by up to 60%. This reversal by the government comes after the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, as per the directive of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM). The minister clarified that those who had paid higher permit fees earlier would be refunded the balance amount after the concession.

New Rates:

In gram panchayats, the permit fee for houses between 81 and 150 square meters will be reduced from Rs. 50 to Rs. 25 per square meter. In municipalities, the cost will decrease from Rs. 70 to Rs. 35, and in corporations, it will drop from Rs. 100 to Rs. 40.

For houses between 151 and 300 square meters, the fee will be reduced from Rs. 100 to Rs. 50 per square meter in panchayats, from Rs. 120 to Rs. 60 per square meter in municipalities, and from Rs. 150 to Rs. 70 per square meter in corporations.

For houses over 300 square meters, the rates will be reduced from Rs. 150 to Rs. 100 in panchayats, and from Rs. 200 to Rs. 150 in both municipalities and corporations. Additionally, rates for industrial and commercial buildings have been reduced by up to 58%.

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