In a first, NDITA felicitates highest property tax payers
Kolkata: Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA) has taken a unique initiative to felicitate the highest property tax payers in areas under its jurisdiction.
This is the first time in Bengal that the highest property tax payers have been acknowledged and rewarded. Firhad Hakim, state Urban development minister, felicitated them at a function in Sector V on Tuesday. Hakim had opened some parks in NKDA and laid the foundation stones of a slew of projects.
NDITA records show that Bandhan Konnagar has paid Rs 2,60,90,025 in 2017-18, which is the highest by any property owner. The second is Bengal Intelligent parks (P) Limited that paid Rs 1,77,12,412 in 2017-18 and the third is Forum Project Holdings Private Limited, that paid Rs 1,41,88,716.
The total revenue collected from property tax in 2017-18 was Rs 57.08 crore, while the total revenue from property tax collected in 2016-17 was Rs 38.30 crore. Thus, the increase in property tax collection from 2016-17 to 2017-18 is 49.03%.
It may be mentioned that NDITA has introduced the Unit Area Assessment (UAA) method of calculating property tax.
The tax can be deposited online and the owners can calculate the tax on their own. An intense campaign was launched, urging the property owners to pay tax on time to avoid penalty which is quite heavy.
It may be mentioned that New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) had opened additional counters for property tax payers who had come to its office to pay the money. Many had failed to pay the money online and they were assisted by the staff.
Collecting property tax from big owners has been a major problem throughout Bengal. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) had to introduce property tax waiver scheme to collect arrears, where the errant owners paid the principal amount and the interest was waived.
Thousands of cases are lying in the Municipal Assessment Tribunal, after the owners did not accept the property tax fixed by KMC.
NDITA authorities felt that felicitating the highest property tax payers will encourage others to pay the money on time.
