MC recovers Rs 15.35 crore

Tribune News Service

Amritsar March 24

Although the current fiscal will close on March 31, the property tax wing of the Municipal Corporation (MC) is not getting returns as per expectation. However, there are long queues at tax collection windows. Residents did turn up to pay tax dues.

Meanwhile, major defaulters seem out of reach of MC officials. The civic body had targeted to collect Rs 35 crore, but the tax wing managed to recover Rs 15.35 crore till date.

Officials have decided to open collection windows on Saturday to collect more tax. The collection windows at MC Zone No. 1 office at Sultanwind, Zone No. 6 office at Company Bagh office and main office at Ranjit Avenue will remain open on Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm to enable residents deposit their property tax dues.

Officials said the last date to deposit tax was March 31. After that 18 per cent interest would be charged along with 20 per cent penalty, they added.

According to information the property tax wing collected Rs 15.35 crore against the target of Rs 35 crore. Last year, the MC collected Rs 18.95 crore against the target of Rs 28 crore.

As many as 200 properties were sealed by the MC to recover tax this year. Officials said, “There are several reasons of deficit this year. The rebate announced by the government on hotel buildings led to a major shortfall in tax collection.”

Tax recovery also fell due to the Assembly elections as the staff was busy conducting poll.

“Now our staff is again deployed on delimitation duty. How can we meet the target when employees are busy on other tasks? The government also exempted several categories from tax ambit. The target of Rs 35 crore is not justified. We made efforts to recover the tax,” they added.