KMC mulls to amend property tax collection rules

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is mulling to amend its tax collection rules to boost property tax collection. The amendment has already been approved by the Board of Administrators (BOA), and will soon be sent to the state government for approval.

Concerned over reluctance of a section of citizens in Kolkata in coughing up property tax through Unit Area Assessment (UAA) mode, KMC will now generate self-assessed form in case a person does not pay property tax under UAA.

The amount will be a certain percentage more than the concerned person's actual tax and will be considered as his deemed assessment.

"There have been more than one instance when people have not coughed up property tax claiming that the bills have not reached their addresses. We will be uploading such bills of property tax in our website and informing the particular persons about generation of the bill. This will be deemed as receipt of the bill for that particular person," an official in KMC's Assessment department said.

In case of a person paying property tax quarterly, there will be a rebate of 1 per cent. Presently such rebates are offered on a yearly basis.

Chairman, Board of Administrators of KMC Firhad Hakim has emphasised in bringing in more un-assessed properties in the city under assessment for increasing the civic body's property tax collection. KMC can now take up suo motu mutation of property and accordingly levy tax on such a property.

"The amendment that we are bringing in is aimed at providing benefit to the common people. Assessment and mutation is the right of a person and we will be extending all possible assistance for this," Hakim said. The amendment also gives the power to the KMC to levy additional tax at any point of time if it is found that somebody has increased his/her property keeping KMC in the dark.