Kozhikode corporation intensifies property tax arrears collection drive

KOZHIKODE: Intensifying the tax collection drive, Kozhikode corporation has directed officials to strengthen the process of collecting pending arrears from persons who have failed to remit property tax, professional tax, rent on land and buildings and D&O licence fee.

Corporation secretary Binu Francis has already directed the officials handling property tax section to prepare a separate list of all defaulters whose dues have crossed Rs 10,000.

Following the order, heads of tax and non-tax revenue sections have already taken steps to prepare the list of tax defaulters. Notices will be issued to the defaulters soon. The move was taken to ensure cent percent tax collection and to tie up the loose ends to plug revenue loss.

According to the corporation authorities, of the Rs 82.03 crore, civic body had succeeded in collecting Rs 74.10 crore in the form of property and professional tax, rent of corporation land and buildings, dangerous and offensive (D&O) licence fee, fee for construction of building, building permit fee and road cutting charges during the financial year 2018-2019. It should get Rs 7.93 crore as pending arrears.

The corporation could only collect Rs 27.33 crore as property tax out of the total Rs 33.12 crore this financial year. Defaulters owe Rs 5.79 crore as property tax to the civic body. In the professional tax category, of the Rs 16.20 crore, the corporation has received Rs 16.09 crore.

In rent on land and buildings category, of the total Rs 16.20 crore, the corporation could collect Rs 14.17 crore and defaulters need to remit Rs 2.03 crore.

The corporation has collected Rs 2.08 crore as D&O licence fee of the total Rs 2.09 crore. The civic body has received Rs 4.84 crore from fee for construction of buildings; Rs 3.09 crore from building permit fee; Rs 2.08 crore from road cutting charges and Rs 4.38 crore from other revenue categories.

Shaji Thomas, corporation revenue officer (non-tax), said that they have already decided to make a list of persons who have failed to remit rent on land buildings. “Notices will be slapped on them directing them to remit pending rent amount,” he said.

Meanwhile, an official with revenue section on condition of anonymity said they have already started preparing a list of defaulters whose property tax arrears have crossed Rs 10,000. “Officials have also been facing difficulties to reach out to property owners living abroad as many owners visit the houses and apartments once or twice in a year,’’ said the official, adding that they have decided to conduct door-to-door visit to collect pending dues from defaulters.