NDMC seeks to boost revenue

In a bid to boost revenue, the cash-strapped North Delhi Municipal Corporation is seeking new ways to revise property tax assessment technique for over 24,000 outstanding cases under its jurisdiction prior to 2004.

North Delhi mayor Ravinder Gupta said the NDMC has taken an initiative for the revision of rateable value/assessment done ex-parte under the rateable value method for levy of property tax prior to March 2004, after which the unit area method was introduced for tax assessment.

“Where ex-parte assessment has been made pertaining to those cases under rateable value method of the property tax prior to March 2004, in these cases as per present resolution the cases can be reopened and if the assessee wants he can opt to get his property assessed under rateable value method or annual method,” he said.

He also said that the revision of rateable value method will increase the collection of property tax specially in unauthorised regularised colonies.

The outstanding cases for ex-parte cases per zone are — City (110), Sadar Paharganj (603), Karol Bagh (1,030), Civil Lines (3,094), Rohini (15,169) and Narela (4,621), total adding up to 24,627 cases, the NDMC said.

Mr Gupta also said that the NDMC will pay 1 per cent incentive to all regular or retired employees who are engaged in recovery of property tax if the targets fixed for them are achieved. He also said that similar schemes have been adopted by other Central government offices such as customs & central excise, Union ministry of finance and Punjab excise department.

He also said that this initiative by the corporation will motivate employees to put in their best effort to recover property tax. “The North corporation is going through a financial crunch and this scheme will increase the revenue and create a positive approach among employees towards their duties.”