2,400 property tax defaulters to get MC notice yet again

Bathinda, November 11

The Municipal Corporation has initiated steps to tighten the noose around property tax defaulters. According to information, property tax amounting to Rs 8 crore is pending.

It is learnt that most of the defaulters had ignored the first notice sent to them. Now following the legal process, the MC initiated the process of issuing a notice to 2,400 defaulters for the second time. In the notice, they have been told to pay the pending property tax within five days. Further, if they failed to do so, a sealing notice under the MC Act will be issued to them. 

This time, the MC has stated that despite issuing a notice to them in May to pay their tax within seven days, they have not paid the tax due to which they have violated Section 112-A (5) of the Punjab MC (second amendment) Act 2013. Now, the MC is giving them one more chance to clear their outstanding tax within five days of receiving the second notice.

According to MC records, the city has 95,429 commercial and residential units. Of which, property tax is implemented on only 47,975 units. 

Of the total 53,871 residential units, as many as 22,235 units are non-taxable as residential plots measuring less than 125 sq feet are exempted from property tax by the state government. Similarly, the city has 15,818 commercial units. Moreover, it has 24,000 vacant and even 1,673 units are offices which are under the non-taxable category.

To give residents relief in filing the property tax, the MC has made various changes in the property tax form. Earlier people have to file a separate form for each year. Now, residents will be able to file the tax of past five years in one form. Moreover, they will be able to take back that form as the MC will scan and update its records online. Besides, if anyone lost his or her form, a copy of form can be received by filing a UID number.

The concerned person will be fully responsible for the filing the information in the form.  —  TNS