Three days left, 50% yet to pay property tax

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, May 28

Even as three days are left for paying property tax with a rebate of up to 20%, about 50 per cent assesses are yet to pay the levy.

According to information procured from the Municipal Corporation, 53,878 residential property tax assesses (Rs 11.10 crore) and 12,632 in the commercial category (Rs 23.22 crore) have paid the levy. A total of Rs 34.22 crore has been collected by the MC.

There are around 1.30 lakh taxpayers in both the residential and commercial category. The civic body has issued a public notice to remind the taxpayers about the last date.

Those who pay the property tax for financial year 2023-24 between April 1 and May 31 are eligible for a rebate of up to 20%. Assesses in the residential category get 20% rebate and those in the commercial segment 10% during the period. Thereafter, a penalty of 25%, along with interest at the rate of 12% per annum on tax dues without any rebate, will be levied.

From June 1, the corporation will start issuing notices to defaulters. The corporation had netted nearly Rs 70 crore in property tax in the past fiscal.

The houses with an area of 500 sq ft or above have to pay the levy. The civic body had also incorporated property tax in water bills of some commercial space owners.

The corporation has recovered about Rs 1 crore on account of this move.

The MC is soon going to identify new taxpayers as Chandigarh Smart City Limited is evaluating data of around 2.15 lakh households that have electricity connections, but are not on the taxpayers’ list.

25% penalty, 12% interest to be imposed after May 31

Those who pay the property tax for financial year 2023-24 between April 1 and May 31 are eligible for a rebate of up to 20%. Assesses in the residential category get 20% rebate and those in the commercial segment 10%. Thereafter, a penalty of 25%, along with 12% interest on tax dues without any rebate, will be levied.