The Hindu 31.05.2013
GVMC aims higher property tax collection
Armed with technology and base data obtained from the earlier
Geographic Information System (GIS), GVMC is launching a major revision
exercise to improve its property tax realisation by around Rs.60 crore.
However,
the residential assessments will be spared and 38,839 commercial and
13,735 mixed properties will come under the scanner of the GVMC,
according to Municipal Commissioner M.V. Satyanarayana.
He told
reporters here on Thursday GIS data that projected an increase of Rs.20
crore revenue from 33,595 assessments, the applications rejected and
pending under Building Penalisation Scheme (BPS), for properties where
occupancy certificate was not produced and unauthorised constructions
identified by the Town Planning Department would come under the drive.
The Commissioner assured that the 3.2 lakh residential assessments would
not come under the drive.
A pilot study on the efficacy of using
tablet PCs had already been done during 2012-13 and it showed
improvement. The Revenue officials would go with the PC to the building
and after obtaining the existing tax would physically verify the
measurements, use (commercial/residential) and feed it into the PC.
Since everything was transparent it is difficult to contest it even in a
court of law.
In one such instance, where gross deviations have
been observed in plinth area and use and an additional floor not under
tax net, the half-yearly tax of Rs.25,658 was revised to Rs.1.86 lakh
with a penalty of 25 per cent for the fourth floor was revised to
Rs.2.33 lakh, Mr. Satyanarayana said. Besides, the D&O trade
licences would be linked to assessment to improve revenue from the trade
fee.
Collectible demand
Of the collectible demand of
Rs.167.43 crore in the previous year, Rs.24.79 crore has been pending
of which Rs.5.5 crore is the accumulated demand of 20 minority
institutions.
Mr. Satyanarayana said property tax had an
uncollectible demand of Rs.112.2 crore of which Rs.62.54 crore,
including Rs.47.8 crore of the steel plant, was caught in court cases.
Demand from various government departments is Rs.25.73 crore. Service
charge (instead of property tax) of Rs.5.43 crore has been pending from
Central government organisations and PSUs.
Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) R. Somannarayana was present.
