Send property tax bills home, say councillors

With the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) deciding not to increase property tax, councillors have suggested that the civic body improve collection by sending property tax bills, much like electricity and water bills, to every household. HT reports.

With the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) deciding not to increase property tax, councillors have suggested that the civic body improve collection by sending property tax bills, much like electricity and water bills, to every household.

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Currently, property owners fill up applications and submit the money with the MCD at their own behest.

According to Deepa Jain, Congress councillor from Dharampura, MCD lags behind in the collection of property tax since the collections take place purely based on the enthusiasm of the payers.

"If MCD takes up the matter seriously, it can start sending bills to households so they pay up," Jain said. She also suggested that the MCD start keeping records of property tax by numbering each household of the city.

"It is a huge challenge, but the one-time effort will definitely increase the collection of property tax to a huge extent. MCD should send out bills and fix the last date of payment," she said.

According to data, Delhi has about 30 lakh properties, but the MCD receives property tax on less than half of them.

On Thursday, in order to encourage payment of taxes, the MCD said that all its property tax offices would remain open on the Saturdays falling in February and March.

The offices will, however, remain shut on second Saturdays.

"This decision has been taken to facilitate taxpayers. The routine time for property taxpayers to deposit their property tax during week days is 10am to 5.30pm, with lunch break from 1.30pm to 2pm," said an MCD spokesperson.

Property tax remains the biggest source of income for MCD. In the financial year 2011-2012, the number of property tax payers has increased from 8.1 lakh to 8.5 lakh as compared to 2010-2011.