The Hindu 28.02.2013
Udayendram town panchayat’s record in tax collection
Udayendram town panchayat has bagged the top spot in tax
collection figures among town panchayats in Vellore district. It has
achieved 100 per cent tax collection for the fifth consecutive year.
“There
are 16 town panchayats in Vellore district. Among these, Udayendram
town panchayat has achieved 100 per cent collection for property tax,
professional tax, water tax and non-tax for five years continuously,”
said S.M. Malayaman Thirumudikari, assistant director, town panchayats,
Vellore.
The town panchayat has achieved its target
of collecting property tax to the tune of Rs. 7.78 lakh, professional
tax of Rs. 2 lakh, water tax of Rs. 3.5 lakh and non-tax of Rs. 2.5
lakh, he said. Last year, Udayendram was among five town panchayats in
the district to receive the merit certificate from the Collector for its
achievement in tax collection.
Following this, there
are plans to seek the equation fund for the town panchayat, Mr.
Thirumudikari said. If a town panchayat achieves cent per cent tax
collection, then it can apply for equation fund in which a certain
percentage of the amount would be given to the local body as grant. This
fund could be utilised for water supply, public health works and solid
waste management. This gives a further boost for the town panchayat.
Mohammed
Rizwan, executive officer of Udayendram town panchayat, said the local
body had first achieved 100 per cent tax collection during 2008-2009.
“From the next fiscal, we started educating the public on tax payment.
We explained to them that paying tax for one year was trouble-free
rather than paying a big amount due to accumulation as it would create
difficulties. This worked as the public started to pay yearly taxes,” he
said.
Efforts for collecting tax through
door-to-door measures began in September 2012 and demand notices giving
details of the amount to be paid were issued, Mr. Rizwan said. “We
achieved 70 per cent tax collection in December. The remaining 30 per
cent was achieved in January,” he said.
Meanwhile,
the Natrampalli and Alangayam town panchayats have achieved 75 per cent
and 71 per cent tax collection respectively, Mr. Thirumudikari said.
Special drives were under way at town panchayats which had recorded tax
collection figures of less than 70 per cent so far.