Open House: What measures should the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation take to recover the outstanding property tax?

Recover property tax on due date

Property tax must be recovered from defaulters on due date. The MC can recover dues in monthly or quarterly installments with penal interest at the rate of 2% per annum. If defaulters still fail to pay up, eviction orders should be passed against them. Some people care a fig for the government orders to make payment of the statutory dues. Such people deserve to be handed eviction orders immediately.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

MC should hold awareness camps

The MC should hold awareness camps through officers and elected councillors regarding collection of property tax. It should stop water supply to defaulters by after they fail to pay up within a specific period. The list of the defaulters can be published in locals newspapers at the cost of defaulters. The administration may stop the new vehicle registration of the defaulter. The law should be amended and new clause may be added for recovering the tax immediately.

Kirpal Singh, Chandigarh

Send regular reminders, notices

Send regular reminders and notices to property owners with outstanding payment. Ensure that they are aware of their tax obligations and the consequences of non-payment. Provide them with flexible payment plans to help them settle their dues. Offer incentives, such as discount or rebate, to those who pay taxes in time. As a last resort, take legal action against defaulters.

Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Kharar

Impose penalty for non-payment

The MC can start a digital payment portal offering convenient online transactions and automated reminders. Introduce penalties for non-payment, incentives like small discounts for early payment. Conduct door-to-door surveys to update property records and involve Resident Welfare Associations to create awareness. Take legal action against chronic defaulters, ensuring a transparent system to boost compliance.

Ravinder Nath

Question for next week

The recent crude bomb blasts near clubs in Sector 26, barely 100 metres from the Police Station and Operations Cell, have raised concerns over security arrangements in the city. What measures should the UT police take to enhance public safety?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com

Name and shame defaulters

The MC should take a swift action against defaulters in accordance with the law and set an example for all. The lackadaisical attitude of officials is reason that people don’t care about paying bills. Timely payment is necessary for better administration in every town. A list of defaulters should be put out on government website.

Sumti Oswal, Patiala

Door-to-door collection

The MC should integrate Geographical Information Systems for assessing unassessed and under-assessed properties. Reminders should be sent in advance, along with incentive for early payment. Collaborate with utility companies like electricity and water departments for combined payments. Private agencies can be engaged for door-to-door collection. Adoption of citizen-centric approach combined with strict enforcement and incentives for early payments can definitely improve the situation.

Harinder Singh Bhalla, Chandigarh

Ensure accountability in tax collection

The MC of Chandigarh should enforce strict measures for property tax collection, including publishing names of defaulters in newspapers after serving due notices on them. The defaulters should face penalties, such as electricity and water supply disconnection, if dues aren’t cleared within 15 days to a month. For significant tax arrears, an option to pay in installments can be provided. The MC must be transparent in its functioning and accountable for every expenditure.

Vijay Katyal, Panchkula

Launch tax amnesty scheme

The MC should digitise tax records and implement AI-driven analytics to identify chronic defaulters and prioritise recovery. Collaborate with local businesses for reward programmes, such as discounts or vouchers, for timely payment. Launch a tax amnesty scheme to encourage defaulters to settle dues without paying penalty. Organise community outreach programmes to educate citizens on the importance of property tax. Partner with utility providers to link unpaid taxes with restricted services, ensuring compliance.

Amanjot Kaur, Mohali

Set deadline akin to Income Tax returns

It’ s our moral duty to pay taxes, but not all take it seriously. Strict measures be adopted to recover tax. A deadline should be set like Income Tax returns. Reminder should be given through TV and newspapers. Basic services like water and electricity should be withdrawn from defaulting properties.

Rakesh Sachdeva

Authorities should pull up their socks

Nobody is willing to pay taxes. These are always recovered by hard steps taken by authorities. Water and electricity supply to the defaulters should be stopped. Lax attitude of the authorities is also one of the reasons. Some public representatives too are defaulters.

Ashok Kumar Goel, Panchkula

Give flexible payment options

Recovery of outstanding taxes is essential for keeping the MC’s financial condition in a good health. Implementing measures such as online portals for payment, flexible installment plans and penalties for pending taxes can significantly boost revenue. By combining technology, public outreach and legal enforcement, the MC can ensure that taxpayers fulfil their obligation.

Devanjana

Go after big fish, wilful defaulters

Notices should be sent to all defaulters with a time-bound schedule to respond. In case, the reasons given in the response are found to be invalid and unsatisfactory, the property should be seized and legal proceedings initiated to recover the unpaid property tax. The interest on the tax due should also be levied along with the penalty invoking Chapter 22 of the Income Tax Act of 1961 dealing with tax evasion. In certain cases, the authorities should exercise the discretion of withholding property-related documents such as ‘khata’ or occupancy certificates. The big fish and the wilful defaulters should be denied permits, permissions and clearances for their future construction projects.

Brig Advitya Madan, Chandigarh

Offer discount to early birds

The MC should implement a mix of incentives and penalties to recover outstanding tax. Offer discount to early birds or rebates for timely payments, while penalising defaulters with fine and legal action. Conduct awareness campaigns highlighting tax benefits and consequences of default.

Gaganpreet Singh, Mohali

Multi-pronged approach needed

The MC can implement a multi-pronged approach to recover outstanding property taxes. This could include offering discount or waiving penalty for early payment. Aggressive demand notices with clear deadline and consequences can make defaulters pay up. Public awareness campaigns highlighting the importance of paying taxes and the consequences of default should be organised. Collaborating with other agencies, partnering with revenue recovery agencies or banks can also help expedite the recovery process.

Gurdev Singh, Mohali

Conduct survey of new properties

The Municipal Corporation should incentivise timely payment, besides issuing stern demand notices and starting public awareness campaigns. Starting a property tax portal for easy online payment and tracking, besides regular property tax surveys to identify new properties and update property records can help recover outstanding taxes.

Gurpreet Kaur, Mohali

Send reminders to defaulters

The MC should send reminders through SMS and emails, offering incentives for timely payments and imposing penalties on defaulters. Additionally, the MC can also explore online payment options, doorstep collection and even naming and shaming repeat defaulters to encourage compliance.

Sahibpreet Singh, Mohali

Highlight importance of property tax

To recover outstanding property tax, the MC should implement a mix of incentives and penalties. Offer early payment discounts and flexible installment plans to encourage timely payments. Simultaneously, enforce stricter penalties for defaulters, besides publicising their names. Additionally, leverage technology for efficient tax collection and conduct awareness campaigns highlighting the importance of property tax for community development.

Sargunpreet Singh, Mohali

Ensure accountability and transparency

To enhance tax collection citizen engagement can help a lot. Reminding taxpayers through means of communication and charging penalty from defaulters are some ways to ensure prompt tax collection. Also steps like publishing tax revenue, expenditure reports and budget allocation can also prove beneficial to ensure accountability and transparency.

Malkeet Kaur Virk, Patiala

Paste notices on defaulting properties

It is matter of concern that property owners are not paying taxes in time, causing financial crunch to the civic body. The MC should offer incentives for timely payment. At the same time, it should penalise the defaulters. The MC should also consider pasting notice on defaulting properties. It should also consider earning revenue by increasing tax on parking, digital advisement entertainment, etc.

Col TBS Bedi, Mohali

Act against defaulter departments

It is shocking to know that top 8 Govt Depts/bodies in Chandigarh are big defaulters in paying the statutory property tax total running to the tune of 127.9 crore. If a common man is unable to pay water or electricity bills within permissible extension period, his electricity or water connection is cut. Why big government departments are spared and no penal action is taken against for years together? Such defaulters must be penalised apart from warranting immediate recovery of pending dues. The MC authorities are not doing justice to their statutory positions. They are answerable to law-abiding citizens.

Vijay Shukla, Chandigarh

Cancel allotment after repeated notices

The MC should strictly deal with defaulters. If they fail to pay up, notices should be pasted on their doors with warning. If still there is no response, their allotment should be cancelled. To enhance revenue collection, MC should hike paid-parking fee, besides levying more taxes on purchase of big and expensive vechiles. Commercial buildings and those running paying guest accommodations from their houses should be asked to pay more.

Sukhwnt Bhullar, Chandigarh

Develop mechanism to dealing with defaulters

The MC should strictly deal with the defaulters. They should be clearly told that a delay beyond certain point will lead to sealing of premises. It must work on enhancing revenue collection. The MC should form a panel to suggest measures to recover the dues. There is a need to develop a mechanism to deal with such people.

VK Garg, Chandigarh

RWAs must spread awareness

Non-payment of property tax by citizens not only dents the financial health of the system but derails the progress of ongoing welfare projects. It is therefore incumbent for the authorities to serve a final notice on the defaulters to pay the dues by stipulated date. As an incentive, no penalty for arrears paid by revised date be levied, while deterrent action, even resumption of property of those failing to comply by revised deadline, must be taken The RWAs can also play a vital role in educating residents to discharge their constitutional duty.

SS Arora, Mohali

Act against big defaulters

Since government departments, institutions and large establishments account for big defaults, the MC needs to take up the matter at higher levels for recovery of dues and prevail upon them to make mandatory provision for the property tax liability in respective budgets.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

Implement one nation, one tax

It is ubiquitously noticed that there are separate taxes for separate services. Thus, there should be one tax, covering all services. There should be one nation, one tax approach. People should be made aware of the implication of non-payment of taxes.

Akshansh Thakur

Issue notices to defaulters

Facing financial crunch, the Municipal Corporation relies heavily on property tax as its primary source of revenue. It should take necessary steps against the defaulters. The MC should charge pending property tax along with interest from the defaulter through their bank account by issuing a notice to defaulter.

Adish Sood, Amloh

Accept dues in installments

The defaulters should be given a stipulated period to pay pending taxes in installments. Attractive offers like some discount on one-time payment or on online payment can be introduced for better compliance.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

Add pending tax to water bill

The names of property tax defaulters should be published in newspapers and displayed on notice boards to shame such people publicly. Strict action must be initiated after putting them on notice by sealing the premises. It is seen that big government establishments, schools and hospitals are the main defaulters. Most of them will pay up after receiving resumption notices. Property tax could be added in water bills.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

Non-payment of tax affects public works

The amount collected by the MC through the property tax is utilised to provide various social, civic and infrastructural services and development works. Non-payment of the tax means stalling the development work of the MC. The government, corporates, autonomous bodies, etc are fictitious persons created by law and these have designated officials to look into the property tax issues and its timely payment. Issue notices to these erring officials and inform their higher-ups in to recover tax. Educate the defaulters that the development works will come to a standstill due to non-payment of taxes.

Dr Rajeev Kumar, Chandigarh

Rope in registered housing societies

Entrust the responsibility of collecting property tax to registered housing societies. This could be incorporated into their maintenance duties. In the event of default, the societies would be held accountable and could impose penalties according to their bye-laws. A similar approach could be applied to commercial establishments, such as malls and shopping complexes, where joint conglomerates have been formed to advocate for their rights and levy fees. By making the conglomerate responsible for property tax payment, the process would become more manageable.

Capt Vinod Duggal (retd)

Make strict tax recovery policy

The authorities must frame a strong and strict policy to recover property tax from defaulters. Principle tax (amount) without penalty should be recovered from defaulters. Half a loaf is better than no bread. More time should be given to the defaulters to deposit their dues. A legal action must be taken against them if they still fail to pay up. No defaulter should be spared. All citizens are equal in front of law. So action must be taken equally against all defaulters.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali.

Ensure honesty and integrity

The MC should implement robust measures, maintain records of the taxpayers along with transparency and efficiency in the entire system. Moreover, some people may feel that the tax collected doesn’t go into the development of the nation and that’s why they refuse to pay. Yet, by creating awareness people will tend to understand the significance of taxes. Citizens should be apprised of the benefits of paying taxes with MC’s role in bringing honesty and integrity in the process.

Arpita Anand, Chandigarh

Make payment process convenient

The authorities should link all services being provided by the MC with a single account. This will help clear all dues, which are pending against a taxpayer. Secondly, the payment process should be made convenient and most people avoid going to e-Sampark and MC office to pay dues. Those who pay their taxes in time should be rewarded. Special days, both offline and online, for settlement of dues should be organised.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh