The Ulhasnagar Municipal corporation came up with an innovative idea called ‘Abhay Yojana’ regarding property tax collection. The authorities offered discounts on the tax interest rates for those who make payments.
The authorities claim that the 100 percent discount on interest rate will be given from March 16 to March 31, 2022. Dr. Raja Dayani, Municipal commissioner, UMC appealed through social networking sites and other media to the citizens to pay up the property tax and take the benefits of the new scheme.
The Ulhasnagar municipal corporation has around 1.79 lakh property tax payers. As per the data a total of Rs 579.77 crore tax is pending till date.
"Last year the Abhay Yojana was held from February 18 to March 31, 2021. A total of Rs 32.95 crore tax was collected during the Yojana last year. Similarly, last year from April, 2020 to February 2021 without the Abhay Yojna the authorities recovered 37.94 crores tax. But this year the authorities recovered 57.92 crore from April 2021 to February 2022," said an official on condition of anonymity.
Dayani claimed that they are receiving a good response during the scheme and have appealed the citizens to pay the pending tax.
The authorities also appealed to the citizens to not give any cheques which will get bounced. As of last month the authorities announced that 193 cheques submitted by citizens to pay property tax are dud. Officials said bounced cheques have delayed tax collection by the civic body and appealed to the citizens to pay the pending amount within 15 days, failing which strict action will be taken.
Shashikant Dayma, an social activist from Ulhasnagar said, "Citizens wanted to pay the tax online but they are not able to pay it. The authorities should change their system so that all the citizens can get the benefit of the scheme. They can pay ax tonline and will not have to stand in crowded lines in soaring heat," added Dayma.
