The Indian Express 20.01.2014
Civic staff will be held accountable for unassessed properties
After the success of its drive to recover dues from defaulters of
property tax, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to make
the ground level civic staff accountable for failing to identify
properties that have not been assessed for tax.
The property tax department of PMC first launched a drive to recover
pending dues by playing music band outside the property of defaulters
and managed to collect Rs 74 crore. Now, it has set its eye on
identifying unassessed properties and bring them in the tax ambit. In
its 40-day survey, the civic administration identified 26,000 properties
that were found out of the ambit of property tax.
“The drive to recover dues from defaulters would continue, but focus
would also be on bringing unassessed properties in the tax net. The
civic staff at the ground level responsible for assessing property tax
would be made accountable if any unassessed properties are found in
their jurisdiction,” said Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Pathak.
The PMC has not proposed any hike in the property tax but estimated an
increase in revenue collection by bringing unassessed properties in tax
net, he said adding, “The property tax department would take in writing
from the civic staff that there are no more unassessed properties in
their area.” This means that the staff might face action if any
unassessed properties are found in their area, he said.
The PMC administration has set a revenue target of Rs 750 crore,
including water tax, from property tax in 2014-15 as against Rs 742
crore for 2013-14. It has collected Rs 670 crore in the first nine
months of the current fiscal and is set to cross its set target by
March-end.
There are 7.5 lakh properties in the city and the civic administration
expects more would be added to the list if the civic staff at the ground
level are made more accountable.
