Vellore Corporation has introduced a mobile tax office recently to collect tax from newly constructed buildings.

The
bus, which was introduced as a pilot test,  can be used by zonal
officers and revenue inspectors to reach spots and levy tax after
identifying newly constructed buildings. The officers will measure the
buildings and calculate tax, for which a chalan would be issued to the
proprietor of the building.

Since its introduction about a week
back, tax was levied on nearly 60 new buildings in zone I- Dharapadavedu
area, 20 new buildings in zone II – Sathuvachari. The bus would be on
rounds till January 8.

“The facility had helped the corporation
impose tax on 80 new buildings in Zone I and II so far,” said Town
Planning Officer M Kanna.

Officials said if the initiative may
become a permanently feature. The Corporation also recently opened the
weekend tax collection centres that would function on Saturdays and
Sundays, to facilitate officer-goers to pay tax. “There was a favourable
response to tax collection centres working during weekends,” Kannan
said.

Hitherto, the Corporation could collect only 65 per cent
revenue of the total income of local body from all sources, for the year
2012-2013. The officials said the new initiatives would help them
achieve a higher percentage in terms of collecting taxes.