VIJAYAWADA: Machilipatnam Municipal Corporation is facing difficulties in collecting property tax and water charges, with only 34% of the total demand met ahead of the March 31 deadline. Officials have collected Rs 11.91 crore out of the Rs 34.93 crore target for 2024-25, including Rs 18.60 crore in arrears.
The corporation has 52,566 assessments, including 48,968 private properties, 271 State government buildings, 85 Central government buildings, and 3,242 vacant land tax assessments.
Water charge collections remain low, with only Rs 3.85 crore collected from a Rs 14 crore demand, leaving Rs 10.16 crore outstanding.
Property tax and water charges are crucial revenue sources for urban local bodies, funding infrastructure and public services.
Delayed payments are hampering development activities.
The decline in tax recovery is attributed to ward secretaries, who took over collection duties after ward secretariats were established, replacing bill collectors. Officials claim arrears have been accumulating since this transition.
Municipal Corporation Revenue Officer Venkateswara Rao said 270 ward secretariat and revenue staff are involved in collection efforts, expressing confidence that over 70% of dues will be recovered.