PIMPRI: The data revealed by the Property Tax department of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) suggests that an increasing number of residents are opting for property tax payment through online mode.
The data indicates that online payment mode is becoming popular in the industrial township where a large number of people working in IT sector have settled in last 10–15 years.
In the last 66 days, PCMC collected Rs 87.33 crore property tax, out of which, 50 per cent (around Rs 43.5 crore) was received via online gateways.
Last year, the administration was able to collect 21.65 per cent of the tax amount through online mode.
Total amount received through online gateways was Rs 85.17 crore.
Joint Commissioner and in-charge of Property Tax Department of PCMC Dilip Gawade said that after demonetisation, more people are opting for online payment for paying property tax.
The PCMC has availed additional concession of 5 per cent to the person who is paying property tax dues through via online mode.
According to an official, an increase in online tax collection will help the department to achieve its annual tax collection target of around Rs 1,000 crore.
Last year, PCMC could achieve only 60 per cent of the target, as around Rs 396 crore was expected from double penalty tax on unauthorised constructions.
But people did not pay this amount as the waiver of double penalty tax was under consideration by the State government.
Gawade said that the department has already issued property tax bill to all taxpayers in the city.
“We have emphasised on online tax payment. The payment gateway has been made available on PCMC’s website,” he added.
According to official statistics, more residents are opting for online gateways to pay their respective property tax to avoid long queues.
“Last year, about 21.65 per cent tax was collected via online gateways.
“This year, it has already climbed up to 50 per cent of the total collection. We are expecting to increase the online collection of property tax to go beyond 60 per cent in near future,” said a PCMC official.
TREND PICKING UP
- The PCMC has made online payment facility available from the financial year 2009-10. The first year only 2.06 per cent people opted for this mode. But a number of taxpayers using online mode is increasing every year. first year’s collection was merely Rs 2.11 crore.
