KMC earns Rs 884 cr through assessment in fiscal 2021-22

KOLKATA:Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has increased its assessment collection as well as its revenue earned through certificate of enlistment in the financial year 2021-22. The civic body has earned Rs 884 crore through assessment and Rs 58 crore by issuance and renewal of trade licenses.

A senior KMC official who oversees the revenue collection said that in the 2019-20 fiscal, KMC had earned Rs 858 crore through assessment which went up to Rs 1180 crore in the 2020-21 financial year. However, Rs 550 crore of that collection was through the 100 per cent waiver that was announced by the civic body to give relief to taxpayers amidst the pandemic for a considerable period in 2020. "So, considering the fact that there was no waiver in this recently concluded fiscal, we have been able to increase our collection to the tune of Rs 26 crore," the official added.

The collection through trade licence has also been satisfying for the civic body. "We have earned a revenue of Rs 58 crore this year through trade license up from Rs 55.6 crore in comparison to the 2020-21 fiscal," the official added.

The online trade license service was launched in September 2020 and 142284 trade licenses have been approved till April 5.

Interestingly during the period from October 11 to 24, when there were Puja holidays, the earning in online mode was over Rs 36 lakhs. 1000 new applications were received during the said period.

"As soon as a trader applies with an Aadhaar card or equivalent documents along with proof of ownership, the demand is generated. There is an option to pay immediately or at a later stage. The trade license is generated immediately after payment but KMC conducts random checking for verification," the official added.

The civic body's collection through advertisements has also been encouraging considering the Covid pandemic situation. In 2019-20, collection through advertisement had dipped to Rs 9 crore. In this fiscal, KMC has earned Rs 15 crore through advertisement.

KMC has approved 1399 applications in connection with an online building plan sanction that was launched in March- April last year.

The civic body has decided to auction two private properties-a private hotel at Rawdon Street and a commercial building near Raj Bhavan in Central Kolkata.

They have been slapped several notices but the authorities have continued to evade payment. The pending tax of the hotel is Rs 5 crore while that of the commercial property at Raj Bhavan is Rs 6 crore.

"It will be the first instance in the history of KMC when private properties will be put up for auction," a senior KMC official said.