Patna: The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has intensified its efforts to bring all eligible properties under the property tax system, reassess existing tax assessments and recover outstanding dues from defaulters.
A meeting chaired by Municipal Commissioner Yashpal Meena was held on Thursday with Deputy Municipal Commissioners Sushil Kumar and Jaya, the revenue team, revenue officers and senior headquarters officials. The meeting focused on increasing property tax collection and strengthening new sources of municipal revenue.
The Municipal Commissioner directed officials to form three special teams, each with specific targets. The teams will work on identifying untaxed properties, reassessing existing property tax assessments and recovering outstanding dues from major defaulters.
All three teams have been instructed to complete their assigned work within 15 days and submit progress reports to the municipal headquarters.
Untaxed Properties to Be Brought Under Tax Net
The PMC is speeding up efforts to identify properties that are currently outside the property tax system.
The corporation has received information on around six lakh electricity consumers from the electricity department. Its control room is contacting consumers by phone every day to determine whether property tax has been assessed for the concerned property.
Properties found to be outside the tax net will undergo the required assessment process and will subsequently be brought under property tax as per applicable rules.
Around 4,000 Apartments and Buildings to Be Reassessed
The PMC is also reviewing property tax assessments in apartments and other buildings across the city.
The corporation is holding ward-wise meetings with apartment association secretaries to collect information about flats and other properties. Property owners are also being informed about the Self Assessment process where tax assessment has not yet been completed.
The civic body has identified cases where different flats within the same building were assessed using different road categories. According to the corporation, such variations can lead to discrepancies in tax assessment and potential revenue loss.
The headquarters has provided all municipal circles with a list of around 4,000 apartments and buildings for verification and reassessment.
Revenue officers have been directed to complete the exercise within 15 days and submit progress reports.
Property Tax to Be Checked Against Actual Use and Area
The Municipal Commissioner directed officials to reassess every property within apartments and buildings based on its actual use, area, road category and other applicable parameters.
The reassessment will also look for cases where property owners may not have updated changes in their property identification number (PID), such as an increase in built-up area, change in usage category or other relevant details.
Where discrepancies are found, the property tax assessment will be updated according to the property’s current status.
PMC Targets Nearly Rs 80 Crore in Outstanding Property Tax
Recovery of outstanding property tax from major defaulters has also been made a priority.
According to the PMC, around 1.50 lakh properties across the municipal area have approximately Rs 80 crore in outstanding property tax dues.
The third special team has been directed to contact major defaulters personally and by telephone and take necessary steps to ensure payment. Officials have also been asked to use legal provisions available under the rules wherever necessary for recovery.
Circle-Wise Property Tax Dues
The outstanding property tax across the six municipal circles is as follows:
| Municipal Circle | Properties With Dues | Outstanding Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Azimabad | Around 28,000 | Rs 10.63 crore |
| Bankipur | Around 20,000 | Rs 10.88 crore |
| Kankarbagh | Around 23,000 | Rs 13 crore |
| Nutan Rajdhani | Around 26,000 | Rs 17.55 crore |
| Patliputra | Around 36,000 | Rs 18.71 crore |
| Patna City | Around 17,000 | Rs 9 crore |
The PMC said 689 properties have outstanding property tax dues of more than Rs 1 lakh. These major defaulters will be targeted during the first phase of the recovery drive.
Malls, Hospitals and Commercial Complexes to Face Tax Verification
The PMC will also reassess and verify property tax assessments of malls, private hospitals, banquet halls, market complexes and other large commercial establishments.
A team of town planners and architects will conduct special inspections of these properties.
The teams will verify the actual built-up area and usage of major commercial complexes and compare the findings with approved building plans and available records.
The exercise will also check for violations of building bylaws, construction beyond approved plans and discrepancies in self-assessment.
If irregularities are found, necessary action will be taken according to the rules.
PMC Shifts Revenue Collection to Target-Based Campaign
The Municipal Commissioner directed officials to treat revenue enhancement as a target-based campaign rather than merely a routine administrative exercise.
The objective is to ensure that every taxable property within the PMC area is assessed accurately and transparently while strengthening the recovery of outstanding municipal revenue.
