Good News for loan seekers    
          BRIDGE LOANS for house owners planning to shift to bigger, more expensive apartments and attractive schemes for employees backed by corporate guarantees are some of the new products in LIC Housing Finance Ltds portfolio.

The country has a large market of house owners who are in the process of moving up the ladder from smaller to bigger houses in consonance with larger incomes and higher lifestyles. LICHFL would allow an existing individual loan to be transferred to a new consumer while sanctioning a fresh loan for a new larger apartment.

SBI Home Finance has doubled the upper limit for loans to individuals to Rs 50 lakh. The move is part of SBI homes corporate plan to shift their loan portfolio towards individual borrowers who at present account for 71% of its entire loan portfolio. The new loan structure has vaulted SBI Home Finance as a viable housing finance alternative to the high income category.

The Corporation Bank Homes Ltd, the housing finance arm of Corporation Bank, will be starting its operations at Bangalore shortly.



   Housing loan schemes for resident Indian and NRIs 
          EMI Loan repayment is in Equated Monthly Instalments (EMI) comprising both principal and interest. Repayment by way of EMI commences from the month following the month in which full disbursement of loan is taken. Pre-EMI interest is payable every month from the date of each disbursement up to the date of commencement of EMI.

Resident Indians

Non-Resident Indians


   NRI Investments in immovable properties 
          (contd from previous issue)
Q. Can sale proceeds of residential immovable property if and when sold be remitted out of India ?
A. In respect of residential properties purchased on or after 26 May 1993, Reserve Bank considers applications for repatriation of sale proceeds up to the consideration amount remitted in foreign exchange for the acquisition of the property for two such properties. The balance amount of sale proceeds if any or sale proceeds in respect of properties purchased prior to 26 May 1993, will have to be credited to the ordinary non-resident rupee account of the owner of the property.

Q. Are any conditions required to be fulfilled if repatriation of sale proceeds is desired ?
A. Applications for repatriation of sale proceeds are considered provided the sale takes place after three years from the date of final purchase deed or from the date of payment of final installment of consideration amount whichever is later.

Q. What is the procedure for seeking such repatriation ?
A. Applications for necessary permission for remittance of sale proceeds should be made in form IPI B to the Central Office of Reserve Bank at Mumbai within 90 days of the sale of the property.

Q. Can foreign citizens of Indian origin acquire or dispose off residential property by way of gift ?
A. Yes. Reserve Bank has granted general permission to foreign citizens of Indian origin to acquire or dispose off properties up to two houses by way of gift from or to a relative who may be an Indian citizen or a person of Indian origin whether resident in India or not, provided gift tax has been paid.

(Commercial Properties: continued in next issue)



   Credits to NRE accounts 
          Applications for credit of refund of application/ Earnest Money received by NRIs from the Government Housing Boards on account of non-allotment of flats / plots, to their NRE accounts require RBIs prior permission.

Such applications are approved by Reserve Bank provided it is established with a documentary evidence that the original payment towards the application / Earnest Money was made from the NRE account of the concerned NRI or by direct remittance from abroad to the Housing Board.

Authorised dealers should ensure at the time of allowing credit to NRE account that the account holder continues to be non-resident. The amount of interest, if any, paid with the refund may also be credited to NRE Account.



   NRI - Repayment of housing loans 
          Repayment of the housing loan granted to NRIs may be made through direct remittance from abroad through normal banking channels or by debit to their NRE / FCNR / NRO accounts or out of the rental income from the property. In the case of persons who have returned to India for permanent settlement, the repayment of the outstanding loans may be allowed in rupees.

   Self Assessment of Property Tax in Bangalore City 
          Dr A. Ravindra, Commissioner of Bangalore City Corporation, introduced a new system of self-assessment of property tax, in Bangalore City on Sunday, 15 March. In the present system of tax assessment there are many complaints of arbitrariness. People do not know the basis on which tax assessments are made. He hoped that people would come forward and pay the tax based on the rules in the written form. He is of the view that the system will help residents in the areas added under the jurisdiction of the Corporation.

Property tax computation

Monthly rental value (MRV) = Built area of property X rate per sft per month.

Annual rental value (ARV) = MRV X 10 months (the KMC Act allows a 16.66% deduction on the annual value of the building).

Property tax = ARV X 20% (for residential buildings) or ARV X 25% (for non-residential buildings).

Annual Property Tax payable = Property tax X 34% cess (Library cess 6%, Beggary cess 3%, Education cess 10%, and Health cess 15%).

ANNUAL RENTAL VALUE FOR ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTY TAX IN BANGALORE CITY Unit: Per sft per month

RESIDENTIAL (under self-occupation)
Zone A1 Zone A Zone B Zone C Zone D
R.C.C. with granite / marble flooring 2-50 2-00 1-80 1-60 1-50
R.C.C. with mosaic flooring 2-00 1-50 1-30 1-20 1-00
R.C.C. with cement flooring 1-50 1-20 1-00 0-80 0-60
Tiled / sheet roof 0-80 0-70 0-60 0-50 0-40

Thatched houses / huts-Total property tax: Rs 50/- per sq. per annum with the minimum property tax of Rs 50/- per such house

NON-RESIDENTIAL (own use)
Shops / commercial complexes, offices, banks 12-50 8-00 6-00 4-00 3-00

Industrial buildings have been classified as :
a) Large scale industries Rs 4-00;
b) Medium scale industriesRs 3-00;
c) Small scale industriesRs 2-00