To Meet Its Revenue Collection Target, Bengaluru Civic Body Will Organise A 'Khata Mela'

Bengaluru's civic body, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), has decided to hold a 'Khata Mela' in each of the city's eight zones to fulfill the target of revenue collection.

On Monday, BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta met with revenue officials and guided them to arrange the Khata Mela. For the fiscal year 2021-22, the BBMP has so far collected Rs 1,563.78 crore in property tax.

The revenue officer asked the officials to pay attention regarding the property tax as the state is witnessing a dip down in the daily covid cases.

Gupta instructed officials to work harder and collect more taxes as the role of revenue officers in collecting property taxes is critical. It stated the newly built buildings should be purchased under tax jurisdiction, and the property tax should be collected.

The chief commissioner stated that a 'Khata Mela' should indeed be organized in each of the BBMP's eight zones to introduce assets under property tax jurisdiction and took the initiative to collect the taxes that are taken.

The Commissioner has notified all revenue officials that they should disseminate information about the extension of the 5% discount on full-year property tax payment, which has been extended until 30 June 2021, through department staff in order to collect more property tax.

The BBMP also intends to collect property tax as soon as possible by releasing a warning letter to those who have not paid property tax in the current fiscal year. Basavaraju, Special Commissioner (Revenue), stated that notices will be issued to those who have outstanding tax payments for several years, and officials will begin collecting property taxes immediately.

He also added that the officers must work on bringing assets that are not subject to taxation into taxation.

He mentioned that to collect property tax, legal action must be taken against those who are not paying.