Patna, Nov. 23: The cash-strapped Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has started reassessing the holdings in the civic areas after 10 years to turn around its finan- cial fortunes.
Announcing the exercise at a news meet today, PMC commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pal said 56 teams have been formed to assess holdings in all four administrative circles of the civic body — New Capital, Bankipore, Kankerbagh and Patna City. The three-member teams are serving the holding-owners notices after assessing their property.
“The teams, comprising two tax collectors and a Grade IV employee each, have started the reassessment from November 14. They have to submit details of annual rental value of at least 10 holdings every day. They have been asked to give special emphasis on commercial establishments that have been paying taxes as residential buildings. The owners are being asked to pay the tax within 21 days of receiving the notices,” said Pal.
On the move aimed at revamping the corporation’s holdings database to improve the PMC’s financial health, Pal said: “The financial condition of the civic body is so bad now that we cannot even pay salaries to our employees. The increase in revenue through such exercises is the only way to lessen the burden.”
He added that in the past 10 days, the corporation’s total tax value has increased by Rs 6.55 crore worth holding taxes. “At present, we have a record of 1.82 lakh holdings. With this new exercise, we expect the number of holdings to increase to 3.5 lakh, as new constructions will come under the tax ambit now,” said Pal.
He added: “We have asked the teams to submit affidavits at the end of the exercise stating that all the holdings in their respective areas have been covered. We will carry out inspection in the areas after that. If we find any discrepancy, we will take action against the team concerned.”
On actions to be taken against the tax defaulters, Pal said the state urban development department is in the process of amending the municipal bye-laws that would enable the civic body to confiscate property and freeze bank accounts of the defaulters.
The PMC today also launched a drive with the district administration and traffic police to ensure no-parking, no-vending outside Buddha Smriti Park“We will ensure that the area in front of the park is free of encroachments. Once the multi-level parking at the park starts functioning, the parking woes will be solved,” said Pal.
From tomorrow, PMC will also carry out fogging in various localities of the city to cub the outbreak of several mosquito-borne diseases.
