The Kochi Corporation plans to deploy special squads to check revenue loss. The squads will focus on identifying tax evaders, Mayor M. Anilkumar informed the Corporation council meeting on Tuesday.
The Mayor was replying to a debate on financial crisis facing the civic body. Steps to plug leaks in collection of commercial taxes will be taken, and the services of specialised agencies will be sought for the purpose, he said.
Slamming the civic body for the crisis, Opposition councillors demanded a special meeting of the council to discuss the issue.
Priya Prasanth, chairperson of the tax appeal standing committee, accused the corporation of adopting a lackadaisical approach to tax collection. There has been no serious effort to improve revenue collection. There were lapses in collection of profession tax. The civic body even failed to serve notices on building owners to collect the revised tax, she said.
The Mayor informed the council that funds for road and canal repairs would be allotted on priority basis as part of austerity measures.
The council was apprised of the financial condition of the Corporation after the new council assumed office. Each division councillor was allotted ₹1 crore as division fund. The civic body had to spend heavily on completing data entry work and COVID-19 control and relief measures. The salary revision of employees also added to the financial load, Mr. Anilkumar explained.
Later, Opposition councillors staged a protest in the council hall against the decision of the civic administration to cut division funds after K.G. Aristotle completed his speech. They organised a sit-in protest inside the council hall and shouted slogans against the administration.
