BMC squads on collection spree

BHUBANESWAR: With the fiscal year in its last leg, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), which set itself an ambitious target of collecting Rs  40 crore as holding tax by March-end, has cracked the whip on non-performing and lax tax collectors (TCs)A latest review showed that Rs 6 crore has been collected from both government and private holdings by December 15. By month- end, the BMC bosses have targeted a collection of another Rs 4 crore. That’s not all, the collection targets for January, February and March had been set at a stiff ` 8 crore each. Municipal Commissioner Vishal Dev has ordered that individual targets will be handed out to the TCs to ensure that the annual collection is mobilised. The collection will be monitored by team leaders and the Deputy Commissioner.While, the TCs have been asked to pull up their socks, at least seven of them who had showed nil collection on December 15 had their salaries held up for the day and departmental proceedings initiated against them. Past year’s performance of the TCs will also be appraised by the Commissioner himself. To meet the target, the BMC has decided to start assessment of new holdings immediately. Special squads have been constituted for collection drives keeping in view the peak period of collection. More vehicles too have been provided to them. The special collection drive shall be carried on Sundays and government holidays too.Besides, the TCs have also been asked to submit a list of holdings already covered in their wards and provide a list of new holdings located every week. While collection from government holdings shall be targeted on a priority basis, the Commissioner has asked for a list of demand holders of above Rs  50,000 within a week. A list of holdings of Central government offices shall be prepared in one category, while for the State Government, a department-wise list will be prepared.