The Hindu 03.09.2009
GVMC steps up tax collection efforts
Staff Reporter
Staff have completed a door-to-door campaign
Online tax payment is monitored
VISAKHAPATNAM: The Greater Visakhaptnam Municipal Corporation is facing a downturn in its revenues and taking a number of measures to improve the situation.
According to sources, the average monthly receipts have dropped from Rs.15 crores to Rs.13 crores to Rs.14 crores. The regular works taken up by the corporations have also been scaled down. “Earlier the regular works used to be taken up at a cost of Rs.15 crores to Rs.20 crores. Now they are prioritized and taken up at an average outlay of Rs.10 crores,” said an official. The payments due to contractors still stand at Rs.40 crores to Rs.45 crores. The corporation intend to clear Rs.4 crores bills pertaining to March, 2009 this month. The revenue receipts mainly from property tax generally pick up in the last quarter of the year. After the interest waiver in property tax given to defaulters in 2007-08 and 2008-09, people prefer to pay during the end of the financial year to take advantage of the waiver, said an official. The two waivers cost the GVMC dearly as it lost the interest payment.
The GVMC revenue authorities have taken up a drive to realize the tax. “We have identified the top defaulters zone and ward-wise and issued warning notices to them.
Attachment notices are also being issued to chronic defaulters and in case they do not respond water supply will be stopped,” Additional Commissioner (Finance) P. Purnachandra Rao said. The tax collecting staff have already completed a door-to-door campaign. Shops and other commercial establishments are visited by the GVMC staff and officials told to pay up or face action.
The online tax payment is monitored and if in any zone payments are lagging behind, the official concerned is contacted and asked to act.