Jalpaiguri Municipality cracks down on Tax defaulters
Jalpaiguri: The Jalpaiguri municipality is gearing up to take strict action against tax defaulters, aiming to collect overdue taxes.
Traders who fail to settle their dues within the current month risk having their licenses revoked. Furthermore, following the Lok Sabha election results, stringent measures will be implemented against flat owners who have neglected mutation processes.
Not only are traders and flat owners under scrutiny but also various government departments are facing service tax arrears. Although some progress has been made in recovering arrears from state government offices, substantial amounts are still outstanding from central
government offices.
Municipal sources reveal that the general fund, from which pensions for retired workers and salaries for sanitation department employees are disbursed, relies entirely on tax revenue. This revenue encompasses commercial, cleaning, and house-building taxes. However, it has come to light that certain businessmen and flat owners have been neglecting their tax obligations.
The municipality has compiled a list of traders with outstanding commercial tax arrears, with approximately 100 names identified so far. Efforts are underway to uncover
more names.
Papia Pal, the Municipality Chairperson, stated: “We have records of all tax defaulting traders; some have overdue taxes of one year, others for two. We reach out to them, urging them to settle their outstanding taxes. Failure to comply within the current month will result in the revocation of their business licenses. Additionally, we are addressing the issue of flat owners who have not completed the mutation process as required by municipal law after purchasing multiple multi-storied flats in the city. The process of contacting these owners has commenced, and further action will follow in accordance with the law.”
She stated: “The general fund, crucial for funding pensions and salaries, relies solely on tax collections. Any shortfall in revenue could impede essential services. Hence, we are steadfast in our efforts to collect dues and bolster
the fund.”
