Over 1 lakh people in Indore expected to gain from water tax waiver

A month or so after it was unveiled, money is slowly starting to trickle in under the water tax waiver, which is expected to benefit nearly one lakh residents in Indore.

A month or so after it was unveiled, money is slowly starting to trickle in under the water tax waiver, which is expected to benefit nearly one lakh residents in Indore.

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Of the roughly Rs 60 lakh netted by the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) on Friday, nearly Rs 50 lakh is believed to have come under the tax waiver scheme.

Meanwhile, the Corporation will set up special daylong camps at 15 wards, one in each municipal zone, on August 13 to encourage those with pending water tax bills to clear their dues.

Deputy municipal commissioner (revenue) Abhay Rajangaonkar said water tax collections had picked up, albeit slowly, since the waiver was announced.

"The earnings dropped yesterday and on Sunday due to the weekend. But we’re hoping the increase in revenue from pending water tax bills will resume from Monday," said Rajangaonkar.

He said the civic body would probably net around Rs 53 crore in unpaid water taxes through the waiver although "the trend will become clear only after 5-6 days."

Mayor Krishna Murari Moghe announced the scheme, aimed at persuading recalcitrant subscribers to cough up water tax dues, during the 2014-budget speech. Under the offer, the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) would freeze water tax dues payable until March 31, 2012.

Residents have to clear water tax dues from April, 2012 to the present in two equal instalments payable by no later than September, 2014.