BENGALURU: The cash strapped BBMP is now looking to bridge the shortfall by tightening its property tax collection mechanism. With over 18.5 lakh properties in city, it has the potential to collect Rs 4,000 crore as property tax.
For 2016-2017, BBMP aimed to collect Rs 3,000 crore, of which it has collected Rs 1,900 crore. To reach the target, BBMP has directed its joint commissioners to be on field for the next one week, starting Monday.
The Chairman of Standing Committee on Taxation and Finance, Gunashekar, said, “All joint commissioners have listed out the tax defaulters in their zones. They will be given 15-day notice and persuaded to cough up pending tax dues. The JCs will be giving their daily report to me via video conferencing.”
The names of defaulters, who fail to pay tax even after being served notice, will be defamed by publishing their names in media and BBMP website, he added.
In their next course of action, warrants will be issued to those defaulters and their immovable properties will be confiscated.
Asked on how far BBMP is behind its Rs 3,000-crore target, Gunashekar said "We have already collected Rs 1,900 crore. Compared to the previous year collections till Jan, we have collected Rs 180 crore more this year. We are sure of mopping up over Rs 100 crore from the drive to be carried out by JCs.” He said that even BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad will be on field inspection this week to boost tax collection.
Total Station Survey, which was aimed to find out cases of under declaration and property tax evasion by big builders, have already begun in zones like Mahadevpura, Gunashekar said.
