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Prayagraj Municipal Corporation issues 'red notices' to over 7,300 house tax defaulters

Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) authorities have announced stringent measures against major defaulters who have not paid their house tax, initiating the issuance of 'red notices' to 7,303 defaulters, each with outstanding amounts exceeding Rs 50,000. Among these, 2,433 individuals owe more than Rs 1 lakh in house tax. Failure to settle these dues within the stipulated time frame will result in actions such as attaching and sealing their properties.
PK Dwivedi, PMC's Chief Tax Assessment Officer, revealed that the municipal corporation had collected Rs 89.93 crore in house tax from 1.48 lakh building owners in the previous financial year. The previous financial year saw the recovery of Rs 43.22 crore from 1,14,644 building owners by November 30. However, in the current financial year up to November 30, only 1,11,827 house owners have deposited Rs 53.76 crore in house tax.
Prayagraj Municipal Corporation encompasses a total of 2.32 lakh buildings, excluding extended areas. Thus, despite the above mentioned collections, more than 1.25 lakh individuals have not fulfilled their house tax obligations, with over 1 lakh building owners neglecting to pay for several years. Dwivedi emphasized that strict measures, including the attachment and sealing of buildings, will be implemented if defaulters fail to meet the payment deadline.
Highlighting the municipal corporation's financial interactions with government buildings, Dwivedi mentioned that there are 171 government buildings in the city with an outstanding amount of Rs 8.47 crore. Notably, 80% of this amount pertains to the current financial year, during which Rs 5.82 crore has already been received as house tax from 69 government buildings.
To clarify misconceptions, PMC stated that no compound interest is levied on house tax. Instead, a simple interest rate of 1% per month is charged. This clarification aims to dispel the rumours that there is compounding of interests i.e. interest accumulates on interest.
In summary, Prayagraj Municipal Corporation is intensifying efforts to recover house tax from defaulters, with red notices issued to over 7,300 individuals, signalling a crackdown on outstanding payments. The municipal authorities are committed to taking strict actions, including property attachment and sealing, against those who fail to comply within the specified timeframe. The city's government buildings are also subject to house tax obligations, with efforts underway to recover outstanding amounts from these entities. The clarification on interest policies seeks to enhance transparency and understanding among taxpayers regarding the financial implications of house tax obligations.

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