The Hindu 30.03.2013
Dodging property tax? Your power and water bills will give you away
Property tax is one of the main revenue sources for the financially ailing Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). With the BBMP not able to meet property tax targets, it has now decided to integrate Bangalore Electricity Supply Company’s RR number and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board’s meter number with the property ID.
Underreporting
According to senior BBMP officials, several property owners, who are using their properties for commercial purposes, have falsely declared it as residential under Self Assessment Scheme (SAS) to escape paying more tax. Many commercial establishments have also not taken the trade licence from the BBMP. The source said that as per Bescom records, there are 7.2 lakh commercial power connections in the city. If the Bescom’s RR number is integrated with the property ID (PID), the BBMP will be able to immediately ascertain if the property is commercial or residential. “This will help the BBMP identify those who have falsely declared tax, penalise them and collect the dues from them,” the source added.
Already the BBMP has captured more than 15 lakh properties in the city through Geographical Information System (GIS) and given each property a unique id number. Though the BBMP had set a target of collecting Rs. 2,000 crore as property tax, it has been able to garner only around Rs.1,320 crore. With just a couple of days left for the end of the financial year, the BBMP is hoping to touch Rs.1,500 crore.
Similarly, by integrating BWSSB’s meter number with PID, the BBMP officials will be able to identify the number of properties in the city with borewells. “We can then direct these property owners to link the borewell with the rainwater harvesting structure. This will ensure that not a drop of rainwater goes to waste. This is to make use of the existing structures for maximum conservation of water,” the source said.
