BBMP sets record, to earn Rs 2,000 crore this financial year

BENGALURU: The-cash strapped BBMP has made a record property tax collection of over Rs 1,750 crore and aims to cross Rs 2000 crore by the end of March to show that the city has the potential to earn even more.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, chairman of the BBMP Taxation and Finance committee, M. Shivaraju said that the BBMP has excelled in the last three years in terms of property tax collection. The collections may have been good, but there were other issues. Although the BBMP has over 20 lakh properties under its jurisdiction, they suffered a huge revenue pilferage.

Moves like Property tax collection drives, revalidation of property tax on several structures has helped BBMP garner more tax. So far, the maximum collection of property tax has come from Mahadevapura zone. Usually, East zone topped the list when it comes to property tax collection. With a lot of measures being applied by the BBMP on tax collection and making IT companies and other major structures cough up hefty property tax, the tax collection has gone up, he added.

Mahadevapura zone has earned Rs 374.5 crore, while East zone managed to garner Rs 362 crore. Dasarahalli is the lowest tax-paying zone with just Rs 57 crore.

Besides, the BBMP has picked about 10 major structures for total station surveys to assess the extent of under-payment of tax. Total station survey work has been taken up on 10 major structures. These include Alcan Consulting Engineering (India) Private Limited and Thematics Infotech Private Limited, said Mr. Shivaraj.

Leela Palace, Bhagmane Techpark (Nagavarapalya), Oberoi, Salarpuria properties and Mister Kodandaram Move n Pick in first phase and the five other properties taken up in the second phase are Accenture (Bannerghatta Road), Golden Hill Square, Mitte Meenakshi Technical College and GE India Technologies and Intel Technologies.

These property owners have made declarations under the Self Assessment Scheme (SAS). The total station survey helps assess the exact extent of property and tax to be paid. If any property owner has made a wrong declaration, he would be made to pay as per the survey which will be done in the presence of revenue officials. This initiative helps BBMP earn more revenue, he explained.