Bhopal civic body on overdrive for property tax collection as fiscal year nears end

The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) is on a mission to collect property and water taxes from the residents of
the state capital. Having targeted large defaulters for weeks, the civic body officials are now going door-to-door to
collect every penny due.
Since November, the BMC has been publishing the names of individuals who have failed to pay taxes on their
properties, warning that their properties will be auctioned to recover the unpaid amount. The first list comprised of
around 9,000 private properties of defaulters across 85 wards. The BMC issued a 21-day notice, after which it
threatened to recover pay property tax or water tax by selling the property under section 173 of the MP Municipal
Corporation Act, 1956.
It is not known if even a single property has been auctioned under sections 175-178. Despite this, the measures have
resulted in an increase in cess collection by about 5% over the previous year, according to sources. In 2017-18, the
BMC recovered about Rs 150 crore from city hoardings, resulting in arbitration. Several companies were involved in
the case, but the BMC eventually went into arbitration mode due to political pressure. Both parties of the last council
did not object to the move.
However, the situation has been different for individual taxpayers. Objections over assessment size and online portal
issues have yet to be resolved by the civic body. Last week, BMC Commissioner KVS Choudary inspected various tax
recovery camps across the city. He directed officials to effectively collect taxes from the current year and previous
years and take strict action against defaulters who do not pay taxes. He also instructed them to contact the taxpayers
personally, door-to-door, to ensure payment of taxes.
During the inspection, BMC additional commissioner Sandeep Kerketta, concerned Zonal Officers, ward in-charge,
and other officers and employees of the corporation were present. Chaudhary visited several wards in different zones,
receiving detailed information about the action being taken. BMC is making efforts to ensure 100% recovery as per
the set targets, establish constant contact with taxpayers, and encourage them to pay taxes. They are also going door-
to-door to collect taxes from those who do not pay taxes. Instructions were given to serve or paste notices and collect
service charges from government departments' properties, make constant contact for recovery from big defaulters.
After March 31, an additional surcharge for non-payment of taxes on self-use properties and attachment/auction of
properties applies, according to a BMC official. Therefore, the BMC is making every effort to ensure the collection of
all dues.

Next (Jammu & Kashmir to provide and lands and homes for the poor under PMAY)

Bhopal civic body on overdrive for property tax collection as fiscal year nears end

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