Amritsar MC collects Rs 33.50 crore property tax, Rs 6 crore more than last fiscal’s

Tribune News Service

Charnajit Singh Teja

Amritsar, March 31

The Municipal Corporation (MC) has collected Rs 33.50 crore property tax in this financial year. The civic body has failed to achieve its target of collecting Rs 50 crore in 2022-23. However, the MC collected around Rs 6.30 crore more than the last financial year. In 2021-22, the MC had collected Rs 27.12 crore.

City has potential, could have realised more

The city has a great potential for tax recovery. The property tax collection has increased as compared to last year. This year, the staff was occupied with the G20 Summit, otherwise, we may have collected Rs 40 crore. — An MC official

This year, the number of tax payers has also increased. As many as 5,000 more residents paid the property tax. This year 1,11,000 property owners paid the tax as compared to 1,06,000 in the last year.

IN NUMBERS

1,11,000 Property owners paid tax

Rs 27.12 crore collected last fiscal

1,06,000 property owners paid tax last year

5,000 more residents paid tax

Defaulters will have to pay the tax with penalty now

An MC official said the Department of Local Government had given the civic body a target of Rs 29.46 crore. However, MC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi had asked the MC staff to collect Rs 50 crore. “The city has a great potential for tax recovery. The property tax collection has been increased as compared to last year. This year, the staff was occupied with the G20 summit otherwise, we may have collected Rs 40 crore. Some major tax payers in the city have moved to courts over assessment issues, which also affected the recovery,” said an MC official.

Daljit Singh, nodal officer for property tax, said, “We have collected a good amount of tax. We have covered almost all the areas of the city. The major tax payers have deposited the tax. Those who did not avail the benefit of paying the tax till March 31, would now have to pay the tax with penalty. They have to pay 1.5 % per month interest on the tax amount. They have been declared defaulters in our records and sealing notices would be issued soon”.

The MC officials said in the year 2023-24 they would start the sealing of properties of tax defaulters.