KMC targets 100 per cent collection of taxes

Kurnool Municipal Corporation officials parking a garbage vehicle in front of a hotel for default in the payment of trade licence fee in the city on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: U. SUBRAMANYAM

Kurnool Municipal Corporation (KMC) authorities are making all out efforts to realise 100 per cent targeted property tax, water and trade license fee from the assesses and defaulters.

The collection of property tax till Thursday was satisfactory, with the officials managing to collect 62 per cent of the target, but the water and trade licence fee collections has been less than 45 per cent. The officials want to achieve the targeted collection by the end of March 31. KMC Additional Commissioner R.G.V. Krishna said the deadline for the payment of the property tax, water charges and trade licence fee is March 31 and those who did not pay by then will be treated as defaulters.

According to officials, there are 1,16,305 property tax assessments in the city and the KMC has to realise ₹94.73 crore, but the collections stood at ₹58.74 crore (62 per cent). When it comes to water connection charges, there are 66,897 assesses and the demand is ₹19.84 crore, while the collection is ₹10.42 crore with 42.88 per cent achievement.

With respect to trade licence fees, there are 11,222 trade licences with a demand of ₹4.51 crore. The collection stood at ₹1.08 crore (24.05%).

“The defaulters will be dealt legally. We will seize the businesses if trade licence fee is not paid, and water connection and other citizen services will be stopped if the water charges or property tax is not paid by the end of the financial year,” Mr Krishna said. He said that late fee will be collected double the amount that the assessee has to pay after March 1 and demand notices will be served from April 1 to June end.

Meanwhile, the KMC officials have been holding various kinds of protests in front of the business establishments who were not paying trade licence for several years now. On Thursday, the officials parked a garbage vehicle in front of a lodge in Devnagar area of the city, as the owners have ₹3.31 lakh as arrears to pay. A couple of days back, the officials staged a protest displaying placards at a hospital which did not pay ₹7.06 lakh property tax.

With increased drives to realise the taxes and fees, the assesses are also coming forward to pay the arrears. The KMC has opened additional counters for the convenience of the people.