BBMP aims to earn Rs. 4000 crore prop tax

Efforts like one time settlement and Bescom data tabulation helps achieve

Photo Courtesty: The New Indian Express

Bengaluru, April 15: The BBMP’s property tax collection has nearly doubled in the last two years with sustained efforts and plugging of leakages.

Thanks to the efforts of BBMP special commissioner (Revenue) Deepak RL who has single handedly taken the revenue staff and leading from the front to enhance the revenue collection. The cash strapped BBMP has mopped up a whopping Rs. 3350 crore for the year 2022-23 and has aimed to reach a target of Rs. 4000 crore for the on-going financial year 2023-24.

BBMP Special commissioner (Revenue) Deepak RL

Property tax has been touted as the major revenue spinner for the BBMP. Among the taxable revenue property tax is the revenue spinner even when the civic body was earning a meagre Rs. 2,600 crore. Now, it has already touched Rs 3,350 crore. The announcement of assembly elections scheduled to be held on May 10 has put a spanner in the collection speed. However, election is an important task for the revenue department.

Speaking to Bengaluru Express, Deepak RL said that apart from expediting the property tax collection measures like integrating Bescom data with the BBMP property tax data and One Time Settlement with the property defaulters have helped to plug leakage and ensure an ample stride in the revenue collection.

“With the integration of Bescom data with the property tax collection data, the BBMP revenue authorities observed disparity of about 25,000 properties in the first phase itself. In majority of cases, property owners had obtained Bescom connection for commercial purpose and had declared and were paying the property tax under the domestic bracket. Plugging this ensured a steady increase in the property tax,” said Mr. Deepak.

Further, one time settlement with public sector units and a few property tax defaulters has also benefitted the BBMP in ensuring an additional revenue collection. Soon after the assembly polls the second phase of tabulation of Bescom and BBMP begins. Still there may be a few revenue leakages and that would also be addressed soon, he assured.

In the second phase, transformer specific tabulation would be taken up for accurate tabulation of the data. BBMP has potential for reaching property tax collection upto Rs. 5,000 crore and it can be achieved with sustained efforts, added Mr. Deepak.

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