Property tax recovery level 55%: Civic body in HC

The present recovery level of property tax by the BMC is merely 55 per cent of the total property tax dues of the city, an affidavit filed by the civic body has revealed.

The affidavit was filed before the Bombay High Court in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) which demands better measures for property tax collection in the city. It was signed by Tushar Parkhi, Assistant Assessor and Collector with the BMC.

The civic body has cited the large number of pending litigations pertaining to property tax as the reason behind low collection level and claimed that if the amount involved in these litigations is recovered, the level would be as per the required norms.

"At present, the recovery level is 55 per cent. However, the percentage of recovery appears low due to pending litigations in various courts challenging the rateable value and taxes thereon," the affidavit states.

It also adds that the total amount which is involved in such cases as of March 2012 is Rs 5,852.40 crore. According to the affidavit, if this amount is deducted from the total demand of property tax, the percentage of recovery would be more than 85%, as per the norms of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

The affidavit states that the BMC had in 2010 passed a resolution agreeing to adopt capital value as a base for levying of property tax instead of the earlier rent value system. Thereafter, preparatory work is said to have been started by the authorities.

A BMC official said that the purpose of introducing capital value system for computing property tax is to rationalise the methods of assessment and bring transparency, as also to minimize litigations.

Parkhi said, "The analysis done on sample data revealed that in case of 81 per cent of residential units, the taxes on capital value are either decreasing as compared to the existing taxes (based on rateable value) or are unaffected."

... contd.

ALSO READ

Delhi nursing graduate loses eye in acid attack at Bandra station

Worry and anger in Mumbai police after R R Patil snatches right to promote

MNS student wing demands question papers in Marathi

UN rapporteur comes calling, lends an ear to Ishrat's mother