KMC extends application deadline for waiver of property tax till Feb 28

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) extended the deadline of application for 100 per cent

waiver of property tax till February 28.

This is the second time, when the scheme has been extended as the tax has not been collected as desired.

The waiver scheme was introduced on October 3 last year. It was supposed to expire on December 31. The first extension was made till January 31. Meanwhile, till the end of January the KMC has collected Rs 182 crore as property tax, while application worth Rs 600 crore has already

been received.

"We have been able to make up for the loss incurred due to Covid-19 pandemic situation, thanks to the introduction of the waiver scheme. The tax collection till January 31 this year has surpassed that of the previous year (till January end)," a senior Kolkata Municipal Corporation

official said.

Sources in the Assessment department of KMC said in the earlier waiver scheme—introduced in 2012— the civic body had collected Rs 312 crore.

Persons, who will be applying for the waiver scheme till February 28, will get complete waiver on penalty and interest till the same date and the defaulter has to pay only the principal

amount.

The persons who received their bill by March in the last financial year ending March 31, 2020 will be entitled to derive benefit of the waiver

scheme.

From March till May, the civic body will allow 60 per cent discount in interest and 99 per cent in case of penalty.

Since the middle of December last year, Kolkata Municipal Corporation has laid emphasis on a door-to-door campaign to boost its property tax collection. The inspectors had gone door-to-door to create massive awareness among

people.

There are 5 lakh odd taxpayers among which 400 are major defaulters against whom the civic body owes Rs 1500 crore before the introduction of waiver.