Nalgonda civic body tax mop-up goes up

Nalgonda: Nalgonda municipality has been witnessing rapid development since the visit of CM K Chandrashekar Rao's visit to the district a few months ago.

The newly formed Neelagiri Urban development Authority has been recording a steady rise in its income due to various initiatives take up under the stewardship of the District Collector. As per the census of 2011, Nalgonda town population was estimated at 2.15 lakh. It reportedly crossed the mark of 3 lakhs in the last 11 years and the number of wards in the municipality was also increased to 48 to provide better services to the denizens of the town.

The municipality gets its lion share of revenue from property tax, followed by building permissions, layouts, water bills and trade licences. The town is divided into four zones: Posh, middle class, slum and commercial zones. Separate rates were fixed for property tax payment, which ensured good collections. Nalgonda revenue inspector Arif said the civic body collected a property tax of Rs 14 crore as against the target of Rs 18 crore and added that notices are served on a few establishments and individuals whose property tax had been pending. The municipality achieved 78 percent of collection of property tax in 2021-22 and the staff was striving hard to reach the 100 percent collection as early as possible, he informed. The tax mop-up is spent for a number of activities such as salary payment for contract workers and other outsourcing staff, sanitation, transport and other related heads. Arif informed that a rebate of 5 per cent is being provided since April 6 for payment of property tax for the financial year 2022-23. As much as Rs 16 lakh was collected on day-1 (April6). The tax collection touched Rs 15.75 lakh on April 7, Rs 21.5 lakh on April 8, Rs 10 lakh on April 9 and Rs 1.5 lakh even on the Sri Rama Navami on Sunday. He exuded confidence that their staff would reach the target of Rs 18.8 crore of 2022-23 under the directions of municipal commissioner Ramanachary. Meanwhile, people of merged villages Cherlapally , Marriguda , Sheshammagudahave expressed their concern over the poor development of their regions and are urging both officials and councillors concerned to pay attention to the long-pending issues of the merged villages.