The tax collection counters of BMC at its Tax Block. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, April 17: After mopping up nearly Rs 8 crore as holding tax, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has added another feather to its cap by collecting a record Rs 8.43 crore as licence fee for the year 2010-‘11. The collection last year was Rs 5.44 crore.

The licence fee collection includes collection of trade licence, advertisement space collection from BMC area, fee collection from hoarding space in government land and parking (collection by BMC staff and the fees received from auctioned parking lots).

“The collection of Rs 8.43 crore licence fee is a record in the history of BMC so far. This shows that tax officials are really working hard,” said a senior tax officer of the civic body.

According to the collection details, trade licence from shop owners and business establishments yielded around Rs 1.48 crore, from advertising space the collection was Rs 1.90 crore, from fee collection from hoarding space in government land it was Rs 3.70 crore, parking by BMC staff and auctioned space was Rs 14 lakh and Rs 64 lakh respectively.

The collection from these heads in the last financial year was Rs 1.30 crore, Rs 1.20 crore, Rs 2.02 crore, Rs 26 lakh and Rs 49 lakh respectively.

“From the parking collection, money realised by the BMC staff and officers was Rs 14 lakh while it was Rs 26 lakh last year.

This means that the civic body has become successful in adding more auctioned space for parking within the city limits. Money collection from auctioned area was Rs 49 lakh last year and it has increased to Rs 64 lakh this financial year,’’ said another official of the licensing section.

In October last, the civic body decided to privatise 11 more parking lots. However, still there were no bidders for two locations, the nine bidders paid Rs 22.61 lakh extra in a year.

Of late, collection of parking fees by BMC staff was not satisfactory and the authorities felt that privatisation would help in getting more money so that it can support more development projects.

“We have asked the bidders to have display boards near the parking lots so that people will get to know the rates fixed by the civic body and there would be no chance to manipulate. Any bidder violating our guidelines will also be taken to task,’’ added a tax officer.

BMC sources, however, said still there are areas where parking lots are not included in the official list. When they all will be included, then BMC can get more money under licence fee collection.