Mayor calls for boost in KMC revenue collection, focuses on pending dues

Kolkata: Mayor Firhad Hakim, on Wednesday, directed all concerned departments associated with revenue collection to work out means for its augmentation while chairing a meeting on this issue at the KMC on Wednesday.

The total revenue collection of the KMC has been approximately Rs 1.5 crore less in comparison to the corresponding period last year.

A senior KMC official said that the Mayor advised the concerned officials of the Building department that contributes to the highest revenue share of the civic body to take measures for mopping of pending taxes of residential complexes or upcoming real estate projects whose payments are due.

In the case of added areas like Joka comprising 142, 143 and 144 wards of KMC where there is quite a good number of unassessed properties, the Mayor advised holding camps for conducting assessment. Joka came under the jurisdiction of KMC in the year 2013-14.

KMC has recently collected Rs 82 lakh as the first instalment of dues from ESI Hospital in Joka which has been a significant boost to its tax collection.

A bill of Rs 17 crore has been raised for the hospital after assessment.

Senior officials from the Building, Revenue, Advertisement, Amusement, Market and Solid Waste Management department of KMC who were present in the meeting were all directed to pull up their socks for revenue collection with the festival season coming to an end. The Mayor also urged concerned officials to take up disputed cases with the Law department and try to clear the decks for mopping up revenue.