The Mysore City Corporation (MCC) will conduct a survey to ascertain the number of residential and commercial properties in the city, to augment its revenue through property tax.
Property tax is the most important source of revenue for the MCC but its projections and collections have fallen short of expectations in the absence of proper data.
Though there are more than 1.76 lakh registered properties in the MCC, this has not taken into account properties on revenue layouts which have recently been brought under the purview of property tax. It was estimated that there were 19,750 properties on revenue sites during 2013-14 which needed to be updated. Again, not all owners of registered properties are regular in paying property tax. Against the target of nearly Rs. 105 crore for 2014-15, the MCC managed to collect only Rs. 89 crore. For the current financial year (2015-16), the property tax target is Rs. 120 crore, which may be revised.
Several new private layouts have mushroomed in the city limits who are provided water supply and drainage by the MCC, which do not pay tax commensurate with the services provided.
MCC Commissioner C.G. Betsurmath told The Hindu that a comprehensive survey to include properties in the MCC and the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) limits was due.
Road cutting fee
The Commissioner said there was scope for enhancing revenue from other sources as well. The fee charged by the MCC for road cutting for laying cables, etc., was not reflective of the actual costs incurred to repair the roads.
“The cost for road cutting will be enhanced so that the MCC is not forced to bear the road repair charges,” he added.
Meanwhile, online property tax payment facility it yet to become a reality though it was mooted a few years ago. Online payment facility will help augment revenue as it would be convenient to taxpayers. Mayor R. Lingappa said the officials had been apprised about it but there were technical issues to be resolved .
