Mumbai: Despite an acute shortage of manpower owing to diversion of staff in the Lok Sabha poll process, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has reported a record Rs. 28.38 crore collection towards property tax in the first 44 days of the current financial year between 1 April to 14 May.
The record collections have been attributed to the encouraging response to the early bird incentive scheme (EBIS) rolled out by the civic administration. The incentive scheme offers discounts amounting five and three percent discount for those who opt to clear their entire property taxes on or before 30, June and on or before 31, July respectively. This is the third consecutive year of the early bird scheme offering discounts to regular taxpayers.
According to statistics sourced out from MBMC’s property tax department, the amount was collected from 45,792 payers till 14, May. Notably, there has been a significant surge in collections through digital modes of payments, including links on the municipal website (https://pg.mbmc.gov.in/), mobile application (MyMBMC), digital wallets, and credit/debit cards swipes on point of sales (PoS) machines facilitated by the civic administration.
Out of the total collection so far, Rs.12.01 crore was received from 26,067 tax payers through digital modes. On the other hand, 19,725 tax payers opted for clearing their dues by cheques and cash payment over the counter. Despite a shortfall in the last fiscal, property tax collections continue to contribute a lion’s share in the annual budgets as the administration anticipates Rs.260.10 crore, this year.
“More and more citizens should avail of the discount offer by clearing the tax dues on time and help in the all-round development of the twin city,” appealed additional civic chief-Dr. Sambhaji Panpatte. More than two lakh tax payers availed the EBIS which cost the MBMC Rs.2.78 crore while offering discounts, last year.
As per the MBMC registry, the total number of taxpayers (commercial and residential) is currently pegged at around 3,58,030. However, the presence of thousands of “ghost” (non-existent) and multiple entries (of a single account) in its tax registry has become a major cause of worry for the MBMC.
