Ranchi, April 30: Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has released a ward-wise list of top five defaulters of holding tax and has decided to issue distress warrants against them.
The list has been published for ward numbers 1 to 24 and 13 other wards would follow suit.
According to RMC administrator Vinay Kumar Choubey, some of the renowned defaulters include names like secretary of Nagarmal Modi Seva Sadan (ward no. 6) on Baralal Street of Upper Bazaar, where non-payment of accumulated holding tax is to the tune of Rs 2.94 lakh.
Other major defaulters include secretary of Bihar Club (ward no. 3) on Kutchery Road, general secretary of R.K. Mission (Morabadi) and several other individuals, trusts, banks and government offices, including the state electricity board.
The list includes names of 120 individuals and organisations with some having crores pending. Choubey said RMC would act tough and if they fail to respond soon. Three notices would be served to them before the corporation issues distress warrants and lodges certificate cases against them.
“Our emphasis is on recovering outstanding dues and not initiating legal proceedings,” Choubey pointed out.
Water deadline
RMC has extended the deadline for applying for the change of old water connections till May 15.
About 15,000 legal old connections are supposed to be reconnected through new pipes by the drinking water and sanitation department. So far, the response to fresh connections is not encouraging.
“This is largely because of the cost of Rs 2,300 for a new connection. The city’s mindset should change. If they can pay monthly electricity bills to the tune of Rs 1,000, then why not a one-time payment for a water connection,” rued RMC deputy administrator Mukesh Kumar Verma.
Sources told The Telegraph that against the 15,000 legal water connections in Ranchi, about 40,000 are illegal. RMC has also come out with press notifications urging illegal connection holders to apply for legal connections paying a paltry fine of Rs 500.
Holdings assessment
RMC lags behind in the fresh assessment of holding tax proposals. Against the 5,282 applications it received for assessment within past two years, only about 4,612 could be assessed. As far as mutation (change of name) of holdings is concerned, RMC is yet to solve 1,650 cases. Against 3,247 applications, only 1,597 cases have been registered.
