Covid: Tax collection at Durgapur civic body adversely affected

Kolkata: Tax collection at Durgapur Municipal Corporation (DMC) has been badly affected amidst the COVID-19 pandemic situation across the state.

From March to July 2020, the collection has been only Rs 1 crore nearly five times less than the corresponding period in the previous year.From March to July 2019 the total tax collection was around Rs 5 crore.

After complete lockdown in March, April and May, the tax collection window was opened up in the month of June. There was reasonable amount of tax collection in June.

But since July the administration had to go for periodic indefinite closure with the rising number of Covid positive cases. This again brought down tax collection drastically.

In August some six odd employee of DMC tested COVID-19 positive following which the civic body was closed for indefinite period, leading to tax collection nosediving further.

"There is online system for paying property tax. But majority of common people still prefer paying in offline mode," said a senior DMC official.

There are 43 wards under the DMC with a total population of around 7 lakhs. Taxes are collected for buildings, hoardings etc.

The monthly income from taxes is to the tune of Rs 1 crore.

"Tax collection has been affected due to the Corona situation which is nothing unusual. But we have ensured that there is no disruption in emergency services to common people," said Dilip Kumar Agasty, DMC Mayor.

The Mayor said that there is system of paying tax – once in three months, once in six months and yearly too. "The tax collection will gain momentum as soon as situation normalises," he maintained.

The state government's Municipal Affairs department releases funds for projects to be undertaken by civic body. But daily civic issues are addressed through the civic body's own fund which is mainly procured through its tax collection.