Lakhs of property tax defaulters in Bangalore will be in for a shock soon. As the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) plans to literally knock on the doors these defaulters and collect the pending property tax.
Lakhs of property tax defaulters in Bangalore will be in for a shock soon. As the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) plans to literally knock on the doors these defaulters and collect the pending property tax.
The drive is scheduled to start in May. Sources in the BBMP told DNA that disappointed over the lack of response to notices issued to property tax defaulters, the Palike has now decided to send its revenue inspectors to the houses of such defaulters and collect the pending tax.
“We are preparing the ward wise list of the defaulters for the year 2010-11 and the list would be ready by April-end. There are about four lakh property tax defaulters according to our records,” said a senior official with the BBMP’s revenue section.
The Palike official said that the revenue inspectors would visit such houses and commercial establishments with measuring tapes and calculate the tax by themselves. “A penal monthly interest of 2% will also be levied on the defaulters,” he said.
Palike sources said that as part of the drive, the revenue inspectors would also cross check the building plan approval, occupancy certificate and violation of building bylaws, if any. “If violations are found, the executive engineer concerned would be alerted and further action would be initiated,” they said.
It may be noted here that as per the updated records of the BBMP, there are 16 lakh properties in Bangalore. The palike officials said that for the financial year 2010-11, about 12 lakh property owners had paid the tax, totalling up to Rs1,052 crore. “However, there are four lakh property owners who are yet to pay the tax. We are expecting a revenue of Rs500 crore from the new drive starting from May,” he said.
The sources said that the BBMP drive was another way to fill up the empty Palike exchequer. “Also, the ruling BJP is aiming for a Rs10,000 crore Palike budget for 2011-12 and revenue from all sources are being mopped up for the same,” said another official.
He further said that for the financial year 2011-12, which had just started, the property tax target was Rs2,000 crore.
The door-to-door visit to defaulters comes in the background of several glitches in property tax collection. “In fact, the property tax collection target for the year 2010-11 was Rs1,600 crore but the Palike was able to collect only Rs1,052 crore.
Also, property tax cheques worth Rs10 crore have bounced back,” said an official from the revenue wing of the BBMP.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}