Bengaluru's BBMP has collected INR 463.03 crore in property taxes through its One-Time-Settlement (OTS) scheme, with INR 624.88 crore still outstanding as the July 31 deadline nears. Launched on February 27, the scheme aimed to ease tax burdens by waiving 50% of penalties and interest but saw limited participation, with only 1.52 lakh out of 5.51 lakh defaulters settling dues. Despite issuing notices to 3.95 lakh property-owners, only 70,000 responded. BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath urges eligible property-owners to utilize the scheme. Overall property tax-collection decreased to INR 1,758 crore this year.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has collected only INR 463.03 crore through its 'One Time Settlement' (OTS) scheme, aimed at recovering unpaid property taxes. With the July 31 deadline approaching, INR 624.88 crore remains outstanding. Launched on February 27, the OTS initiative aimed to ease property tax burdens by waiving 50% of penalties and interest, yet it has received a lukewarm response. The civic authority had anticipated collecting INR 1000 crore through the scheme, but so far, only 1.52 lakh out of 5.51 lakh defaulters have settled their dues.
Zone-wise, BBMP's collections have varied. In the Bommanahalli zone, INR 73.9 crore has been collected, leaving INR 82.77 crore outstanding. The Dasarahalli zone saw a collection of INR 16.37 crore with INR 22.21 crore still pending. In the East zone, INR 70.57 crore has been accumulated, with INR 87.14 crore yet to be collected. The Mahadevapura zone recorded INR 109.37 crore in collections, with INR 140.04 crore still outstanding.
For RR Nagar, INR 33.78 crore has been collected, leaving INR 49.74 crore outstanding. The South zone collected INR 71.94 crore and still awaits INR 96.63 crore. In the West zone, INR 50.83 crore has been collected, with INR 97.18 crore outstanding. Lastly, in Yelahanka, BBMP has collected INR 36.27 crore and awaits INR 49.16 crore.
An official highlighted the lack of participation from property owners despite the incentives provided by the OTS scheme. Of the 5.51 lakh property tax defaulters in the city, only 1.52 lakh have settled their dues. Notices were issued to 3.95 lakh property owners for overdue payments, but only 70,000 have responded. Additionally, 5 to 7 lakh properties are yet to be brought under the tax net.
BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath urged eligible property owners to utilize the scheme before the July 31 deadline. He stated that approximately 4 lakh property owners are eligible for the scheme, with 80,000 having already settled their dues. The remaining 3.20 lakh property owners are encouraged to clear their pending taxes. For queries regarding the OTS, including payment details and locations, citizens can dial the toll-free helpline at 1533.
Apart from the OTS scheme, overall property tax collection has also decreased this year. Between April and June last year, BBMP collected INR 2,287 crore in property taxes, whereas this year, up until July 7, only INR 1,758 crore has been collected, marking a decrease of INR 528 crore. The implementation of the OTS scheme is attributed to this decline. As of July 7, the collection figures in various zones include INR 139.22 crore in Yelahanka, INR 398.79 crore in Mahadevapura, INR 60.37 crore in Bommanahalli, INR 125.95 crore in RR Nagar, INR 203.85 crore in the South zone, INR 211.54 crore in the East zone, and INR 294.21 crore in the Dasarahalli zone.
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