Residents of Bidhannagar's wards 27, 28, 35, and 36 will start paying property tax to the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) from April 1, 2024. Previously, these areas paid 'khajna' or land revenue. While some express concerns about the disparity in civic services, others anticipate improvements with this change. The property tax structure for these wards will align with Rajarhat-Gopalpur, streamlining the system. Additionally, BMC has deferred penalties and interest on arrear property tax and will soon send tax bills for the third and fourth quarters. BMC continues to work towards uniform property tax structures for all wards.
In a significant development, residents of wards 27, 28, 35, and 36 in the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) will soon come under the property tax regime, effective April 1, 2024. These wards, encompassing Mahishbathan, Nayapatti, and a substantial bheri area off EM Bypass, have until now been exempt from property tax obligations.
Previously, residents of these wards paid 'khajna' or land revenue to the local panchayat or BLRO office. However, this change means they will now pay property tax to BMC and also have the option to undergo mutation processes.
While this transition marks a significant shift, some residents have expressed concerns about the quality of civic services in their areas compared to the rest of Bidhannagar. Nevertheless, many are hopeful that paying property tax will lead to improvements in service provision.
Civic officials have indicated that the property tax structure for these four wards will be similar to that of Rajarhat-Gopalpur. Previously, Salt Lake and Rajarhat areas had different, outdated tax structures. Salt Lake's tax valuation had last been assessed in 1997, and Rajarhat-Gopalpur's in 2005. To rectify this, BMC had requested the state valuation board to establish a uniform property tax structure for all 41 BMC wards.
BMC's recent notice mentions that tax bills for the third and fourth quarters will be sent out starting next week. Additionally, the collection of a 10% penalty and 10% simple interest payable on arrear property tax, initially set for October 1, has been deferred.
Property tax payment and collection for the first and second quarters ceased on September 30, as authorities are focusing on generating property tax bills for the ongoing financial year. These bills will display all four quarters of property tax demand for the current fiscal year.
Residents of BMC wards 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 39, 40, and 41 in Salt Lake can expect offline demand notices for the financial year 2023-24 to be available from the third week of October. Starting from October 13, taxpayers in these wards will also have the option to pay their taxes online.
As Bidhannagar takes steps to unify its property tax system and expand its tax base, residents can look forward to a more equitable and streamlined taxation structure. The move towards property tax for these four wards signals a commitment to providing consistent civic services across the entire municipal area.
In conclusion, residents of four Bidhannagar wards will transition to the property tax regime from April 1, 2024. This move aims to standardize tax structures and improve civic services in the area. The collection of penalties and interest on arrear property tax has been temporarily deferred, and other wards will follow suit with the new tax system in due course.
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