Chandigarh MC collects record Rs 76 crore in property tax in 3 months

The Municipal Corporation Chandigarh has made record collection of property tax totalling Rs 76 crore in the last three months. Meanwhile, the MC has also intensified its efforts to recover outstanding amount from defaulters.

Sources in the MC said that over 100 notices had been issued to the defaulters for recovery of over Rs 10 crore. The notices have been issued after the department prepared a fresh list of defaulters with an updated amount after calculating the tax on the basis of the revised rates. The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), which is one of the biggest defaulters of the tax, has already deposited Rs 11 crore.

Besides Panjab University, PGI and Punjab Engineering College, there are many government departments against whom crores are pending. Many departments of Punjab, Haryana and UT are delaying paying taxes for different reasons.

Sources said that over Rs 100 crore were under litigation or disputed. An officer of the MC said that the defaulters had been given one month time for paying the amount. In case the amount is not paid in the stipulated time, then the MC will start attachment of the properties.

Sources said that there were many defaulters who had not paid property tax, amounting to Rs 200 crore, to the municipal corporation ever since the tax was introduced in 2004.

As per Section 138 of the Municipal Act, the commissioner is authorised to attach, sale or seal the property of a tax defaulter.

Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla said that she had already directed all departments to recover the arrears. She also appealed to the residents to deposit the dues and help the MC avoid any unnecessarily litigation. She said that her top-most priority was to increase the revenue for the development of the city. Once the formalities are completed, the MC will auction the land in Manimajra for a housing project. She is expecting more funds from the Administration.

Chandigarh