NEW DELHI: The SAS Nagar’s ratio of paying property tax stood at 40 percent and corporation was aiming at target of collecting around Rs 15 crore as the tax amount, however, has managed only Rs 7 crore.
The corporation though tried everything from offering rebate of 10 percent to those who were ready to pay up by March 15 and it also issued notices, but nothing much was gained out of it.
Interestingly, the maximum tax amount is due from the government offices itself. A senior official from the corporation, dealing with the property tax issue, said, “This year, the tax has been revised even though we haven’t been able to collect the estimated amount. Most among the defaulters are the business establishment from whom a big chuck of tax is to be collected”.
The officials had also made a list of 1,500 business establishments that had defaulted to pay up the tax – both for this year as well as for previous year.
Now, the defaulters will have to pay fine along with the tax amount. Earlier the fine was 100 percent penalty on the due tax amount, which was reduced, and now the same is 20 percent penalty of the total tax amount, along with 18 percent per annum interest that will be charged till the time tax is actually paid by an individual.
Moreover, while 60 percent are yet to pay the tax for this year, the MC is yet to recover the tax amount for previous financial year 2012-14, which too is about Rs 20 crore.
Sources in the MC said, “Once through with sending the notices, they will seal the property if people fail to reply. Property of the defaulters has been attached in the notices issued by the corporation and the notice demands an explanation as to why the said property should not be taken over by the MC.”
