Srikakulam civic officials focus on improving revenue generation

Srikakulam: Srikakulam Municipal Corporation (SMC) officials have initiated exercise for improvement of revenue earning sources from the current financial year.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed officials recently at a State-level review meeting that all urban bodies must achieve self sustainability regarding funds and the revenue earned by the urban bodies will be utilised for the development of the town or city and not for any other purpose.

In this backdrop, SMC Commissioner P Nallanayya launched steps and directed officials of the Revenue Department to search of new ways and means for enhancement of revenue. The officials decided to revise assessments on properties from which property tax is not being collected in proportion to the value of the property.

They also started collection of details of properties on which tax was fixed previously by considering the then prevailing rates and now tax on such properties is likely to be enhanced as per the prevailing market value.

The Revenue Department officials are also eyeing on vacant lands and decided to collect tax from the lands every year strictly. In and around Srikakulam city and other municipal towns across the district, there are vacant lands on which owners are not paying the Vacant Land Tax (VLT).

From the current financial year, payment of VLT would be made compulsory by the urban bodies and landowners need to pay the tax every year.

Trade licence would also be made compulsory to run different categories of business units which will also become one of the key sources for getting revenue. Municipal officials are eyeing on advertisement tax from the clients who wish to arrange boards, hoardings etc in the limits of city or town.

As part of efforts to identify new sources for revenue generation, officials decided to enhance water tax and impose it on owners who are using individual water tap connections.

"Self-sustainability is essential for all urban bodies to get funds for various development works and to achieve it we are seeking sources for improvement of revenue," says SMC Commissioner P Nallanayya.