Hyderabad: Early
birds haven’t got their share of the worm. Home owners who paid their
tax early are disappointed with the GHMC for its failure to live up to
its promise. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation had announced
that five per cent discount would be offered on property tax for owners
who paid their tax by April-end.

With
just four days to go for the first month of the current financial year
to end, the tempting sop is yet to be implemented. Over 90,000 tax
payers have till now paid `22 crore, but nobody has got the rebate.

“The
tall promises of five per cent discount on tax paid before April-end
has remained on paper. The GHMC should stop taking the early tax-payers
for a ride,” said Amritha Rao, a Somajiguda resident.

As
per the GHMC Act, property tax can be paid either in full or in two
instalments. There are no penalties on the first instalment before July
31. After that a penalty of two per cent of the tax is levied on first
instalment. The last date of submission of  the second instalment
without penalty is October 15.

After
October 15, the penalty is levied on the total tax paid. Citizens who
have been paying tax well before July 31, said the government has been
waiving penalty on tax in March for the last couple of financial years.

“When
those paying tax late are extended the benefit of escaping penalty, why
should punctual tax payers like us not be extended the announced
benefit? We can keep the money in the bank and earn interest” said A.
Dayanand of Tata Chary Colony. GHMC officials said the government is yet
to issue the order to implement the scheme.