BBMP to display list of property tax defaulters at public places

Four lakh property owners in Bangalore owe BBMP Rs. 750 crore

Have not paid property tax this year? Beware... soon you may find your name on the list of defaulters displayed publicly. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which is known to be cash-strapped, is leaving no stone unturned to collect dues from tax defaulters.

According to a press release, Commissioner Siddaiah has directed zonal commissioners, deputy commissioners and assistant revenue officers to collect all pending dues. It is said that there are around four lakh property owners who owe the BBMP tax dues amounting to a whopping Rs. 750 crore. These property owners have not paid any tax since 2008-09.

As a first order of things, the release stated that the Commissioner had asked the officials to prepare ward-wise list of defaulters and display them prominently in public places, besides sharing the list with the local residents’ welfare associations. The BBMP will also continue with its drum-beating programme. The officials have been given a deadline of March 31 to prepare the list.

Meanwhile, efforts are being made to bring all the 16.5 lakh properties mapped using Geographical Information System (GIS) under the tax net. In 2008-09, almost 13.34 lakh property owners paid tax under the Self Assessment Scheme to the BBMP. However this year, only 9.44 lakh property owners have paid tax, while 3.9 lakh have defaulted on payment.

To identify those who have suppressed facts and paid less tax to the BBMP, the civic body has already taken up revalidation of tax paid by commercial properties with more than 10,000 sq ft of built up area. With this exercise almost coming to an end, the release said, the officials have now been asked to take up revalidation of commercial properties with built up area between 4,000 sq ft and 10,000 sq ft.

Other than this, the BBMP will also compare the property tax details with GIS maps, electoral rolls and building plans.

With this, the civic body hopes to identify owners who have rented out their properties and declared as being “self occupied” to pay less tax, besides those who have sought approval for a residential plan and using the premises for commercial purposes, the release added.