Private agency roped in by ASCDCL fails to serve demand notes of taxes

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad, Aug 12:

In a surprising development, the private agency appointed by Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ASCDCL) has failed to deliver demand notes of property tax and water tax to the property-holders in the past five months. Every year, the demand note is delivered in April or May, but half of August has been passed and the agency is yet to finalise the demand notes. Taking serious note of the delay and avoiding further embarrassment, the ASCDCL chief executive officer (CEO) ordered to finalise the demand notes at any cost by August 25.

The AMC made a recordable collection of Rs 168 crore during the last financial year. It included 130 crore property tax and Rs 38 crore water tax. However, the same zeal and enthusiasm went missing at the beginning of the current financial year.

The ASCDCL has awarded the contract to Marx Agency for Rs 26 crore. Earlier, the App developed by the agency was having technical glitches and shortcomings in payment of the tax.

It so happened that four days ago, the new municipal commissioner and ASCDCL CEO Abhijeet Chaudhari during the reviewed meeting was shocked to know that the demand notes are not yet prepared. Hence, he ordered the agency to get ready the demand notes by August 25.

Many property-holders complained that due to the absence of the demand note they were unable to know the actual amount of tax to be paid. Besides, for their not fault, they would have to pay 2 per cent interest and penalty levied by AMC on monthly basis for delay in payment of tax.

Online payment of tax

During the last financial year, the property-holders deposited Rs 7.68 crore as property tax online. This year, in August, the collection recorded is Rs 9.53 crore. Meanwhile, the online collection of water tax is made for the first time this year. Hence the AMC has collected Rs 34.30 lakh, so far.

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The AMC collected Rs 110 crore property tax and Rs 27 crore water tax in 2019; Rs 116 crore and Rs 30 crore in 2020; Rs 107 crore and Rs 29 crore in 2021 and Rs 130 crore and Rs 38 crore in 2022.

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Total properties on record - 2.83 lakh

Total commercial properties - 28,189

Total mixed properties - 7,168

Total water connections - 1.35 lakh