On the last day of 6% concession in property tax, around 1,900 owners paid nearly Rs 1.53 crore to the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation.
Since the start of the financial year from April 1 to June 29, the KMC has generated Rs 15.6 crore in property tax which is one of the highest in first three months of any of the previous financial years. The property tax bills are issued at the start of the financial year. Property owners get 6% concession if the amount is paid in first three months, 4% concession is given if paid in later three months and 2% if paid before December of that financial year. The concession is given to woo property tax payers and thereby increase tax collection.
The total amount collected from property so far this year is around 25% of the annual target set by the KMC. The officials claim that the tax collection by June 30 would have been much more as the traders hoping to get the deadline for availing concession is extended by at least a month.
Director of Kolhapur Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) Ajit Kothari said, “We had put forth the proposal to extend deadline since the traders are facing severe financial crirs and can pay taxes only after their business is rolled on. Currently, the shops are shut for last three months. We are told by property tax officials that for some day the collection will be stopped to take the decision over our demand.”