The Coimbatore Corporation has equalled last year’s tax
collection. The equalisation came about on Friday, a holiday, when the
collection touched 87 per cent.

According to
Commissioner G. Latha and Deputy Commissioner S. Sivarasu, the civic
body equalling last year’s collection with two days left for the end of
the current financial year spoke of the efforts it had taken to ensure
tax compliance.

Mr. Sivarasu says that by March 31
(Sunday), the civic body will have surpassed last year’s tax collection.
The Corporation had announced that it would keep open its 32 tax
collection centres in the city to enable the assessees pay tax even
during holidays.

It had also enabled online payment
of tax using credit/debit cards and through net banking. It had also
tied-up with banks to enable the assessees pay tax through bank
branches. Mr. Sivarasu says that by way of tie-up with banks, the
Corporation had received Rs. 3.40 crore in tax. And through net banking
another Rs. 1.50 crore. He points out that the Corporation achieving the
last year’s collection is not withstanding the fact that there has been
an eight per cent increase in the demand. Last year’s total property
tax demand was Rs. 95.18 crore. This year it is Rs. 103.63 crore.

Similarly,
there has been an increase in collection for the current term as well.
The increase is nearly eight per cent. Last year the total tax
collection for the then current term was Rs. 82.68 crore. This year it
is Rs. 89.25 crore.

And, as in last year, the
Corporation asked the residents to pay the tax for the current term and
also clear the dues. It also warned that it will sever the water
connection and underground drainage connection for those who fail to pay
the tax.

There is a cause for joy for the civic body
because the property tax arrears has come down. Last year the
collection stood at 52 per cent for Rs. 38.78 crore. And this year it
stands at 44 per cent for Rs. 32.84 crore. As the percentage goes up,
the arrear is bound to come down, he adds.