AMC to appoint contractor for collecting taxes from companies against mobile towers

Aurangabad, March 3:

The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has passed the proposal of collecting taxes from mobile companies against their towers in the city through a contractor. There are around 600 towers of different mobile companies in the city, and the civic body is hoping to attract a mobile tax collection of at least Rs 30 crore per year.

It may be noted that Nasik, Ahmednagar and Meera-Bhayander municipal corporations in Maharashtra had appointed contractors to collect the tax from mobile companies on behalf of the local self-bodies. Hence the AMC is following in their footsteps.

According to the assessor and collector of tax (ACT) Aparna Thete said, " The AMC expects tax collection of Rs 34 crore from various mobile companies against the towers in the city, every year. If the civic body takes any action, these companies approach the court. Hence the matter becomes sub judice, and the energy is spent on the court proceedings. Despite all odds, the AMC collects Rs 8-10 crore of tax every year. For the past many years, cellphone companies are not co-operating the AMC in paying the taxes. Hence, we contacted various municipal corporations to know their strategy of recovering taxes from mobile companies. We came to know about the appointment of contractors by the three municipal corporations. Their collection of tax had increased by three-fold after the appointment of contractors. Hence the AMC is at least expecting the collection of Rs 30 crore per year."

Thete said, " The AMC will soon be inviting tender and shortlist an experienced and competent contractor. He will be responsible for collecting tax and maintaining coordination with the tax section, town planning section and anti-encroachment squad. He will also have to bring untaxed mobile towers under the tax net through AMC. If the companies approached the court, then the contractor will also have to handle through coordination."