Madhya Pradesh: Bhopal Municipal Corporation is 55% behind tax recovery target

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Though one-and-a-half months are left to achieve target of tax collection for 2022-23, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not achieved even 55% of the target.

The civic body has to recover Rs 857.94 crore in 2022-23. Out of Rs 857.94 crore, BMC has to recover Rs 283.76 crore as water tax and Rs 574.27 crore as property tax. So far, BMC has collected Rs 377 crore, according to BMC administration report.

Despite several exemptions granted to tax payers in cess during recent National Lok Adalat, BMC could collect only a small amount.

BMC recovered Rs 20.49 crore (property tax and water tax) in Lok Adalat. This included water tax worth Rs 4.89 crore and while property tax worth 15.60 crore.

Deputy municipal commissioner (tax collection) Sandhya Chaturvedi said, “It is middle of February and entire March left. We hope to achieve target by end of financial year 2022-23.”

At Lok Adalat, BMC had offered 100% exemption on cess if dues were up to Rs 50,000. For dues from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, cess relaxation was 50%. Similarly, for dues over Rs 1 lakh, there was relaxation of 25 % on cess.

As for water tax, there was 100% cess exemption if water tax was Rs 10,000 while it was 75% if water tax was between Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000. About 50% exemption was offered on cess if water tax was over Rs 50,000.