BENGALURU: With nearly six lakh people yet to pay their property tax which totals up to Rs 500 crore, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has started cracking the whip to get them to clear their dues immediately.
The Palike had earlier issued notices to all those who have not paid their property tax and has now started sending them messages warning of consequences if the arrears are not cleared promptly.
Owners of many properties, who have not yet paid their tax arrears, have received messages from the civic body warning of sealing or confiscation of assets, seizure of enumeration certificate issued by the sub-registrar and filing of criminal cases if tax arrears are not paid to the municipality.
For more details, the civic body also shared a link -- https://bbmptax.karnataka.govin — through which the tax can be paid. The BBMP stated that owners may also contact the local ward or ward-level Assistant Revenue Officer’s office and settle the arrears to avoid punitive action against them.
Earlier, BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said there are 19 lakh properties in the civic body, but only around 15 lakh owners have paid the taxes.
He had also set weekly collection targets for officials from all the 63 revenue sub-divisions.
These measures are being taken as the BBMP has set a target to collect Rs 4,189 crore in the financial year 2023-2024. And with just three months left for the financial year to end, it wants to achieve the target. In 2022-2023, the Palike had collected a whopping Rs 3,339 crore.