Sandeep Rana
Chandigarh, February 24
The Municipal Corporation has collected the highest-ever amount of over Rs 66 crore in property tax this financial year so far.
According to the civic body, it has collected Rs 17.27 crore in residential tax and Rs 49.52 crore in commercial tax. The total recovery made from April 1 last year to date is Rs 66.79 crore.
1,02,486 Property owners paid levy
Rs 17.27 crore Residential tax
Rs 49.52 crore Commercial tax
Rs 66.79 crore Total
During the same period in the previous fiscal, the corporation had got Rs 53.57 crore in property tax — the second highest collection. Like the previous fiscals, these figures include the arrears as well.
In the current financial year, 1,02,486 property owners paid the tax. Those who have not paid the tax are being served notices by the MC. Properties of repeat defaulters, who have no contention with the MC over the tax calculated, are being attached.
Regular follow-ups
This year, we regularly followed up even with government departments and made concrete efforts to recover the property tax dues from all commercial as well as residential payees. — Anindita Mitra, MC Commissioner
“This year, we regularly followed up even with government departments and made concrete efforts to recover the property tax dues from all commercial as well as residential payees,” said Anindita Mitra, MC Commissioner.
Last year, the MC chief had sent demi-official (DO) letters to 10 top officers of the Punjab and Haryana governments, and the Chandigarh Administration asking them to clear their property tax dues. They, however, cleared part of the dues pending against their buildings located in the city.
Officials said this fiscal, the property tax branch collected the levy from commercial properties in villages and house owners in various colonies for the first time, one of the reasons for the highest-ever collection.
The houses with an area of 500 sq ft or above have to pay the levy. The UT had omitted the word colonies from the list of tax exemption beneficiaries in 2019. However, citing the Covid-19 pandemic, the MC had not collected the tax from the colonies till last fiscal. The corporation started collecting commercial property tax in 2004 and house tax in 2015.
Colonies also covered this year
Officials said this fiscal, the property tax branch collected the levy from commercial properties in villages and house owners in various colonies for the first time, one of the reasons for the highest-ever collection.The MC had not collected the tax from the colonies till last fiscal in view of Covid-19.
