Patna: The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has warned property tax defaulters of strict action and said the names of major defaulters may be made public if outstanding dues are not cleared by the deadline. The civic body has directed property owners with more than Rs 50,000 in pending property tax to pay their dues by March 14, failing which legal proceedings could be initiated.
Officials said the move is part of a special recovery campaign aimed at clearing long-pending arrears across the municipal area. In addition to public disclosure of names, authorities may take measures such as attachment of property, freezing of bank accounts and disconnection of electricity supply for persistent defaulters.
At the same time, PMC has introduced a One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme that will remain in effect until March 31, 2026. Under the scheme, property owners can clear their dues by paying only the principal amount of the property tax, while interest and penalties will be waived. After the scheme expires, taxpayers will be required to pay the full amount along with applicable interest and penalties.
According to the civic body, payment of property tax is mandatory under the Bihar Municipal Act, 2007, along with the Bihar Municipal Property Tax (Assessment, Collection and Recovery) Rules, 2013 and the Patna Municipal Corporation Tax and Non-Tax Revenue Collection Regulations, 2013. These provisions allow authorities to issue demand notices, suspend services and initiate seizure or sale of movable and immovable property in cases of continued non-payment.
Data released by PMC shows thousands of properties with outstanding dues across different ranges. More than 5,000 houses and shops fall in the Rs 5,000–Rs 10,000 bracket, while over 2,000 properties owe between Rs 10,001 and Rs 20,000. Another 1,329 properties have dues ranging from Rs 20,001 to Rs 50,000. At the higher end, 248 properties owe between Rs 50,001 and Rs 75,000, 145 owe between Rs 75,001 and Rs 1 lakh, and 142 properties have dues exceeding Rs 1 lakh.
Alongside the recovery drive, the municipal corporation has also started door-to-door and on-the-spot assessments for new and unassessed properties. Residents can book an appointment for property tax assessment by calling the toll-free number 155304, after which PMC teams will visit the property to complete the assessment or reassessment process.
The corporation said citizens can pay their property tax online through the official PMC portal or visit the municipal headquarters and circle offices for offline payments. Camps are also being organised in different wards to facilitate payment and assessment. PMC teams are conducting collection drives daily from 7am to 7pm, while digital payments through platforms such as Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay and other UPI services are also being accepted.
Officials said timely payment of property tax is essential for funding urban services such as sanitation, road development, water supply and other civic infrastructure across the city. PMC has urged residents to cooperate with the initiative and clear their dues within the stipulated timeframe.
