Slight rise in GHMC property tax collection
Despite pandemic, civic body collects Rs 1,136 crore
Hyderabad: Despite the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown phase, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) registered rise in property tax collection compared to the corresponding period last year. Between April 1 and October 31 this year, the civic body collected Rs 1,136.74 crore in property tax, marginally higher compared to the property tax collection of Rs 938.70 crore during the same period last year.
There are about 16.92 lakh properties in the GHMC limits, including 13.50 lakh residential structures. Despite the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, the municipal corporation under the Early Bird Scheme (EBS) has collected Rs 573.42 crore in property tax this financial year. Earlier this year, the State had extended the EBS scheme by a month, till May 31, taking into account the lockdown.
The municipal corporation also collected Rs 248.03 crore under One Time Scheme (OTS). The State government is offering a waiver of 90 per cent tax for accumulated arrears of the interest component on property tax under the OTS. Taxpayers can avail the waiver only if they clear the total amount of property tax dues till 2019-20 along with 10 per cent interest.
The GHMC officials stated that there were 5.64 lakh property tax assessments with an accumulation of property tax arrears amounting to Rs 1,477.86 crore over the past two decades. The interest amount against the same was around Rs 1,017.76 crore till the financial year 2019-20. Of the 5.64 lakh property tax assessments identified, nearly 1.10 lakh assessments tax have been paid till date. With the State government extending the deadline for OTS till November 15, the civic body officials are expecting more collections. Officials said there could be no more extension of OTS and appealed to the building owners to make use of the opportunity and clear their dues. This financial year, though the municipal corporation focused on increasing the collections, Covid-19 pandemic cast an impact on the collections.
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