Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The burden of sharing financial contribution in different government schemes to provide basic amenities to citizens seems to have forced the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) to levy property tax on the newly find properties (coming under the ambit of tax) as per the ready reckoner, from new financial year (April 1, 2024). Accordingly, the assessor and collector of tax (ACT) and team have undertaken a study on feasibility of levying tax as per ready reckoner.
Till then, here is a golden opportunity for the old property-holders (whose property is not on record) to voluntarily contact the municipal authorities concerned and get the property tax levied upon their properties as per the old system, in February and March.
There are 2.45 lakh properties registered with the corporation. It includes 25,000 commercial properties. The tax amount levied upon the majority of these properties is very less. Hence, the civic administration has geared up to enhance the tax collection figures in the chest by levying tax upon newly found properties (coming on record in the survey) as per the ready reckoner, said the sources.
It is mandatory on the municipal corporation to announce about the levying of tax as per ready reckoner before February 19 as per the Act. Hence the announcement is likely to be made in the next two weeks.
1 lakh properties, but no tax
It is believed that there are at least 1 lakh properties out of property tax ambit, revealed the surveys. These property-holders enjoy all basic amenities including water, drainage and streetlights, but they neither pay the tax nor let the civic officials levy the tax. Hence the municipal corporation opted for the new way.
Alternate source of revenue
The municipal corporation has to contribute a share of Rs 822 crore in the new water supply scheme and Rs 82 crore in the Satara-Deolai Sewage Scheme. Hence strengthening the financial capacity has become the need of the hour. The same focus will be replicated in the annual budget of the year 2024-25, it is learnt.