Solan Municipal Corporation issues notices to 45, just three deposit property tax

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, April 4

Only three of the 45 defaulters deposited their pending property tax after issuance of notices in March by the Solan municipal corporation (MC).

“Dues worth Rs 5 crore are pending but barely a sum of Rs 20 lakh was collected. Three persons deposited Rs 20 lakh while an amount of about Rs 75 lakh was due as pending property tax from 45 persons,” informed MC Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.

Rs 5 cr pending, only Rs 20 lakh collected

Dues worth Rs 5 cr are pending but barely Rs 20 lakh was collected. Three persons alone deposited Rs 20 lakh and an amount of about Rs 75 lakh was due as pending property tax from 45 persons. Rajiv Kumar, MC Commissioner

The MC is now preparing to make public the list of defaulters if the pending tax is not paid soon. This tax was due for the financial year 21-22 and was supposed to be payable by March 31. A large number of defaulters comprise effluent persons.

A total amount of 29 crore was pending as property tax and notices were only issued to 45 persons. There were 11,648 households in the Solan MC and total rev enue from property was estimated to be around Rs 5 crore.

The MC had identified 879 defaulters in March, who had failed to deposit property tax to the tune of Rs 3.16 crore for the past several years. The maximum 200 defaulters are residing in ward number 1, who had to deposit Rs 84.16 lakh tax, followed by 100 in ward number 12 owing Rs 33.97 lakh to the civic body.

These defaulters have again been directed to deposit their tax now or face action. However, just three defaulters, comprising big realtors, came forward to deposit their pending tax.

With the union government giving stress on enhancing income of the civic bodies such negligence in payment of taxes would deprive the MC of the Central grants too.

Since the unit-based property tax would be introduced shortly this is the last opportunity granted to the defaulters to clear their dues.

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