State-owned buildings major tax defaulters
While the state government is warning people that it would seize their properties and also issuing red notices if they fail to pay property tax, government departments themselves remain the major defaulters of property tax across the state.
Buildings belonging to the Central and state governments owe `83 crore in property tax dues to various municipal corporations and municipalities.
While these buildings together need to pay property tax amounting to `90 crore this year, a paltry `6.23 crore has been paid till now.
The property tax collection percentage from government buildings stands at a dismal 6.92 per cent.
Ironically, the government is insisting on 100 per cent property tax collection from properties owned by private individuals.
The repeat notices sent to principal secretaries, secretaries, HoDs and district collectors concerned by the municipal administration department to settle the property tax dues have proved futile.
Municipal administration department director T.K. Sreedevi has written to all officials concerned in this regard and sought early clearing of arrears.
She wrote, “I request you once again to evince your personal attention and see that the property tax dues pending from various Central / state government departments and undertakings are paid to municipal corporations / municipalities are cleared immediately as ULBS are suffering huge financial losses and they are not even in a position to pay the salaries, EPF, ESI to workers etc.”
Shockingly, as many as 32 ULBs witnessed ‘zero property tax’ collection.
These include Mahbubabad, Jammikunta, Korutla, Peddapalli, Khammam, Mahbubnagar, Badepally, Narayanpet, Gajwel, Wanaparthy, Nagarkurnool, Armoor, Kamareddy, Bhongir, Yadadri, Suryapet, Nalgonda, Miryalguda, Dubbaka, AndoleJogipet, Kothagudem, Yellandu, Manuguru, Mancherial, Mandamarri, Pedda Amberpet, Ibrahimpatnam, Medchal etc.
Only Peerzadiguda and Kodada municipalities achieved the distinction of achieving 100 per cent property tax collection.