BBMP nets ₹2,141.51 crore in property tax, meets 53% of target

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has netted ₹2,141.51 crore in property tax (till September 22). The civic body has so far achieved 53% of the target of collecting ₹4,000 crore in property tax.

Reviewing the property tax collection, BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta, on Thursday, directed revenue officials to identify defaulters in each of the eight zones, issue notices, and recover the dues. The tax collected thus far is reportedly more than what was collected during the corresponding period last year. Last fiscal, the property tax target was ₹3,500 crore and the civic body had collected ₹2,780.9 crore. This fiscal, the target has been enhanced to ₹4,000 crore.

Civic officials said defaulters with a huge outstanding amount had been identified in each zone and demand notices has been issued to them.

It was just recently that several citizens, who had been paying their taxes diligently, were slapped with notices by the BBMP over an alleged mismatch in the tax zone classification. Over 78,500 notices had been slapped on property owners, who were asked to pay not just the difference in tax but also penalty and interest for four years, since the tax zone reclassification was done in 2016–17. A senior official had said that this would bring in more than ₹360 crore revenue to the civic body, including ₹120 crore in property tax and ₹240 crore in penalties and interest.

Following protests from a large section of property owners, the BBMP sent a proposal to the State government seeking waiver of penalty. The government, however, is yet to take a decision in this regard.