By the end of this month, residents will also be able to make online payments of property tax dues.

“The online system will be operational by March-end. We know there is a lot of curiosity about this and we are working to start the online platform soon,” said Sarit Bhattacharya, the joint municipal commissioner.

As per figures released in the mayor-in-council budget meeting on March 13, the income earned from property tax between April and December 2017 was Rs 46,324,567. The collection for 2016-17 was Rs 176,282,561.

Many residents seem to have paid up their arrear taxes last year, a move that can be attributed to a corporation notice dated March 9, 2017. The circular said that unless one had paid property tax, one would not receive any municipal services except death and birth certificates. For anything else, residents would have to attach copies of updated property tax bills with their applications.

In the financial year 2018-19, the corporation expects to earn Rs 35 crore as property tax. This year all remissions of property tax granted earlier will be withdrawn.

“These remissions have been translating into losses for the civic body. So we have decided to do away with them,” said mayor Sabyasachi Dutta. Also as per a new policy, one will not be able to deposit the current year’s property tax unless previous years’ dues are cleared.

As per the budget, the corporation’s total income in the year 2017-18 has been approximately Rs 280 crore. This is a hike from the 2016-17 figure of about Rs 247 crore.

“Our estimated revenue for 2018-19 is Rs 96,83,58,000. Revenue earnings will be raised from property tax, Bidhannagar Mela (Utsav), parking fees, mobile tower rent, permission of road digging and government grants received,” the mayor said.

In order to increase revenue, the mayor has also proposed to raise mutation fees by 0.8 per cent. Earlier the mutation fee was Rs 200 along with a processing fee of Rs 100 and surcharge of 0.04 per cent.

In the last financial year, total expenditure has been Rs 115 crore, as opposed to the 2016-17 figure of Rs 134 crore.