Rangareddy: Jalpally civic body remains laggard in property tax collection in RR dist

Rangareddy : A constant below the bar collection of property tax in the Jalpally municipality, on the city outskirts, has raised concerns while the growing trend triggers a blame game between officials and the locals.

With just two days left to reach the last date, the civic body registered a mere 33% of overall collection against a total demand of over Rs.7.2 crore fixed for the current financial year 2023-24. This comes after a similar dismal recovery of 43% revenue last year. With this Jalpally earned a moniker of a lowest performing municipality among all 16 ULBs in Ranga Reddy district.

According to official statistics, a property tax demand of Rs.702.46 lakh has been fixed for 2023-24; a mere Rs.333.08 lakh has been recovered so far. Figures show there are 36,263 assessments in the municipality, including 32,886 residential and 3,180 non-residential.

“With a whopping burden of Rs.6.57 crore property tax arrears last year and a penalty amount of Rs.54.80 lakh this year, the municipality has to recover over Rs. 14.14 crore, as against the combined target of over Rs.19.5 crore together with arrears,” according to statistics.

“We have constituted eight teams to recover property tax and even issued red notices in some cases to the errant. The situation was found to be improving and everything was found moving smoothly in the right direction.

However, the campaign hit a roadblock due to festive season,” informed A Vani Reddy, Municipal Commissioner, who took charge only last month.

“We have another round of collection after this month under the early bird scheme. People should come forward to pay their property tax as this may help us roll-out public-oriented civic service in the municipality,” she added.

While officials are attributing the below the bar collection to people's offhand attitude, the local dwellers are pointing fingers at authorities' persistent lackadaisical approach over years towards providing basic amenities, like roads, sanitation, sewerage and drinking water.

“Leave alone providing better roads and sewerage, most areas in Jalpally are still reeling under acute water shortage, especially in Shaheen Nagar and Pahadi Shareef due to non-availability of tap water network. Pathetic condition of roads and lack of proper healthcare facilities too are adding to public woes,” said Syed Saber of the Erra Kunta area.

Mohd Ashfaq, another resident, said, “For years the municipal authorities and leaders from the previous government took the public suffering of Jalpally for granted. Now authorities are coming to ask for property tax turning a blind eye to unwholesome state of civic issues in wards.”

Ironically, it is learnt, the cash-starved municipality that comes under the Chevella LS constituency represented by Ranjith Reddy has received no support under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds during the last four years.