For the first time in its history, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has collected Rs 100.13 crore revenue, including Rs 35.07 crore Holding Tax, which is also the highest so far.
Out of the total collection of Rs 100.13 crore, the various tax components include: Holding Tax Rs 35.07 crore, Users Charges Rs 9.79 crore, Advertising Tax Rs 15.85 crore, Trade licence Rs 3.91 crore, licence Fee on right of way (ROW) Rs 0.90 crore, Parking Fees Rs 2.41 crore, BMC Market rent Rs 1.3 crore and Other tax revenue Rs 1.64 crore. While the total tax revenue is Rs 70.92 crore, non-tax revenue is Rs 29.20 crore.
Interestingly, the civic body is planning to make the total revenue collection in the 2017-18 fiscal Rs 130 crore. By collecting more and more revenue, the biggest urban local body of the State and the top Smart City of the country is aiming to invest more in people-centric projects in future if the collection continues to have an upward trend.
Municipal Commissioner Dr Krishan Kumar said, “The corporation will invest more on people and creating more green cover across the city. We will develop more parks so that people will get more space for recreation and stay fit and healthy.’’ Currently, the BMC is managing 30 parks and other public places and facilities in the State capital.
Tax Section sources at BMC said Holding Tax collection during the 2016-17 fiscal was more than Rs 12 crore than the previous one. This year many defaulters have paid their arrears and it contributed towards more collection.
Secondly, advertising revenue collection has become more than Rs 5 crore this year than its previous fiscal following a strict monitoring activities and adoption of an on-line self declaration system. The Parking fee collection also saw an increase in Rs 1.5 crore as it was developed on a public-private partnership (PPP) platform. Markets also provided an increased revenue base as leasing out of property at BMC-Bhawani Mall in Sahid Nagar has become successful.