In a first, TMC mops ₹720 crore in property tax
Out of the total tax recovered, ₹166.17 crore was collected through online mode, Rs. 349.56 crore through cheques, Rs. 100.16 crore through demand drafts, and ₹93.22 crore came through cash collections, officials said
Thane
In a record recovery of property tax, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) on Friday said it has collected ₹720 crore of property tax from Thane citizens for the 2022-23 fiscal.
This is the first time that in Thane city’s history, the municipal corporation has crossed the mark of ₹700 crore.
“Whatever development is being undertaken in Thane is all due to the tax paid by its citizens and we are thankful to them for helping in the remarkable recovery,” said Abhijit Bangar, Commissioner, TMC.
In the revised budget for the financial year 2022-23, the civic body had set a revised target of 705.25 crores. The civic body had collected ₹591 crore in property taxes in 2021-22 and this year, it has managed to collect ₹115 crore more.
To ensure effective collection and recovery of property tax, the TMC top brass had held regular review meetings and all collection centers were kept open even on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays to achieve the target within the prescribed period. The civic body also mounted an awareness campaign through social media, cinema halls, theatres, urging citizens to pay property tax, which is the principal source of revenue after abolition of octroi. Bangar’s orders not to issue development permissions till developers pay the dues also helped boost property tax collection.
In March 2023 alone, the TMC mopped Rs. 83.45 crore in taxes, out of which tax was Rs.59.60 crore was recovered from March 15 to March 30. Out of the total tax recovered, ₹166.17 crore was collected through online mode, Rs. 349.56 crore through cheques, Rs. 100.16 crore through demand drafts, and ₹2.03 crore through debit and credit card mode while a chunk of ₹93.22 crore came through cash collections, officials said.
“In order to save the time, citizens can pay through online facilities. We are trying to make this scheme as simple and easy as possible and awareness is being created among the citizens,” said Bangar.
The taxpayers who pay the arrears and the tax during April 1, 2023 to June 15, 2023 will get a 10% discount on their property tax for the second half of the year, while those who pay the tax from June 16, 2023 to June 30, 2023 will get a four percent discount.
The TMC has set a target of ₹800 crore for 2023-24 in the budget approved earlier this month. In view of the recovery made in the current year, all-out efforts will be made to meet next year’s target.