NMC’s property tax collection is dismal at Rs 171 crore
   Date :15-Jan-2020

NMCs property tax collect
 
Staff Reporter :
 
For cash strapped Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) yet another disappointment is in store on financial front as collection from Property Tax is dismal Rs 171 crore so far. And even this includes Rs 60 crore of last year liability. In net as against ambitious target of Rs 422 crore, the tax collection till January 10 is dismal Rs 111 crore. With just three months to go, civic officials sounded hopeful of meeting the target set by Standing Committee in its budget, but if thought realistically it’s a herculean task.
 

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Standing Committee at its meeting held on Tuesday took review of the recovery of Property Tax wherein the startling information cropped-up. Last year arrears were Rs 514 crore and just a slice of that has been realised and it shows that NMC rulers nor administration are having any alternate plan to mop up the due revenue. About three years back, NMC took a big exercise to geo map all the properties in city so as to bring them under tax net. The civic body has already spent Rs 13.75 crore on a specialised agency to help with computerisation of records and train its manpower in Tax Department.
 
But given the lax supervision NMC finances is in doldrums, although during the fag end of financial year the tax collection should rise up. Last year the recovery from Property Tax was Rs 208 crore. Milind Meshram, Assistant Commissioner, Property Tax Department, said that post geo mapping the taxable properties were identified as 6.13 lakh of which demands were distributed to 5.50 lakh owners so far. Taking a tough stand, NMC’s defaulter list now has 4,43,146 properties those who have not paid the property tax. From that 1,10,060 property owners paid the tax.
 
He also provided classification of dues with various property owners. He however said compared to last year this year collection is slightly up and hopefully the target given by Standing Committee should be achieved. To ensure compliance with tax demands, NMC had issued warrant against 9,754 plot holders and 200 plus properties were seized so far as the owners failed to comply. Post approval from Standing Committee, NMC has issued notice to City Survey to transfer said properties in name of civic body.