Civic body collects Rs 41.70 cr as property tax in 2024-25 fiscal

With the financial year ending on Monday, the residents of Amritsar hurried to clear their property tax dues to avoid penalty and interest. The last day for depositing the tax witnessed an overwhelming response, with people queuing up till late in the evening to ensure that their payments were processed. By 8.30 pm, approximately Rs 2 crore had been collected, marking a significant surge in tax payments on the last day. By late evening, the Municipal Corporation collected Rs 41.70 crore in the 2024-25 fiscal.

Assistant MC Commissioner Daljit Singh said that Rs 2 crore had been collected by way of property tax on Monday for the current financial year till 8.30 pm. He further stated that the collection was going on with taxpayers continuing to deposit their dues. The deadline for property tax payments was set at midnight, and the administration anticipated surpassing the Rs 42 crore mark before the window closed.

Under the directives of Municipal Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, officials of the property tax wing took to the field, not only to collect taxes but also to conduct a sealing drive against defaulters. This rigorous campaign was complemented by an awareness initiative aimed at educating citizens about the importance of timely tax payments.

However, the MC collected around Rs 4 crore more than the previous year but failed to achieve the recovery target set during the last budget. The MC had proposed to collect Rs 50 crore from property tax but despite the many efforts made, the target remained short by Rs 8 crore.

Sushant Bhatia, MC secretary, said, “Superintendents from all five zones of the Municipal Corporation, along with their teams, worked tirelessly to facilitate the process and ensure maximum compliance. Their efforts played a crucial role in the substantial tax revenue collection, demonstrating the effectiveness of a well coordinated drive.”