Prod to civic chiefs on 100 pc tax collection in Telangana

Hyderabad: The State government on Saturday issued a strong warning against the municipal commissioners for failing to achieve 100 per cent tax collections. The government asked them to complete the 100 per cent tax collection by March 31 and in case they fail to do so they would face serious action.

The government had issued a circular on January 28 asking the Municipal Commissioners in the urban local bodies to collect 100 per cent taxes in their respective areas. However, with tax collection in most of the municipalities below 50 per cent, the government issued a warning to the commissioners.

The Director of Municipal Administration (DMA) N Satyanarayana in a circular said, "Despite timely instructions to achieve 100 per cent tax collection, the collection drive is going on slowly in Urban local bodies (ULB). The municipal commissioners are directed to give top priority to the collection of taxes and non-taxes and are asked achieve 100 per cent collections." According to the officials in DMA, in order to complete the target of collection of tax the commissioners have been asked to take up tax redressal and collection melas on every Monday, Wednesday, Sunday and even on the public holidays till the end of this financial year.

The municipal commissioners have been asked to achieve the target of 100 per cent collections by the end of the financial year 2020-21 by March 31 without fail. The directorate of municipal administration had recently brought out the facility to pay property tax via Whatsapp by earmarking special number +91 90002 53342 with a QR code, which has to be scanned by the users. There are estimated 20 lakh assessments in all the ULBs in the State.

The regional directors of Warangal and Hyderabad regions are asked to review the details every day. Any deviation from these instructions and non-performance in collection of property tax and non-taxes would be viewed seriously, the director said.