Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has registered 400 percent growth in holding tax collection, getting Rs43.05 crore during the financial year ending on March 31.
“In 2015-16, only Rs11.41 cr. was collected as holding tax from the city residents. This year 400 per cent growth was seen in holding tax collection,” said Municipal Commissioner Prashant Kumar while speaking to newspersons on Saturday.
Taking a giant leap in different sections, the corporation has earned Rs39 lakh from mobile tower in 2016-17.
The civic body collected Rs21 lakh as registration fee from banquet halls and lodges. It was pegged at Rs5.65 lakh during 2015-16.
In the market segment as well Rs9 cr has been collected this year in comparison to the last year where Rs7.83 cr was collected.
This year, water board section too has witnessed the growth of 10-20 per cent. According to the records, Rs4.25 cr has been collected this FY. In 2015-16, Rs3.94 cr was collected from water board section. Waste uses charge has also witnessed a rise, previously Rs1.45 cr was collected whereas this year Rs1.93 cr has been calculated under waste uses charge. Revenue from license as well has witnessed a rise; Rs16 lakh was collected in FY 2015-16 while in the FY 2016-17, Rs74 lakh has been collected.
Self assessment of holding tax is also expected to go up to Rs55 cr. “We are expecting that self-assessment of holding tax will rise up to Rs55 cr. So far, around Rs33.08 cr from approximately 1.5 lakh households has been collected. After assessing government buildings, Rs1.60 cr has been collected under the specific segment,” added Kumar.
However, revenue collection from advertisements and hoardings has gone down. In the FY 2016-17, Rs 2.80 cr has been collected from hoardings while the figure in the FY 2015-16 said that the corporation was successful in getting Rs3.64 cr. from hoardings. Kumar attributed the shortfall to the removal of illegal banners and hoardings from major locations.
“More than 150 hoardings were removed from the roads and other major places which resulted in decline in revenue under this section,” added Kumar.
Similarly, after the adoption of new building by-laws, the Municipal Corporation has just managed to get Rs6 cr. under town planning section. “Around 50 per cent dip is seen in the FY 2016-17 after the implementation of new building by-laws. In FY 2015-16, Rs12.06 cr was collected under the town planning segment,” said Kumar.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation has decided to felicitate top ten buildings who had paid maximum holding tax this year. The civic body will also felicitate top 10 holding tax payers in every ward. According to the data, ward no. 29 grabbed the highest tax collection spot with approximately Rs1.95 cr holding tax collection followed by ward no. 4 that collected Rs1.42 cr from the residents and ward no. 19 grabbed the third position in tax collection with Rs1.39 cr. Similarly, ward number 4 and 6 clinched top position in the total number of holding collection.
Kumar added, “The Municipal Corporation has made a proposal and will utilise the amount in different public welfare activities. From maintaining urinals to decking up the streets, public money will be utilised in appointing cleanliness workers, nigam marshalls, home-guard personnel and city enforcement squads to keep the city clean and green.”
Announcing some major change for the financial year 2017-18, the Town Commissioner further added, “Now 15 digit holding number has been made mandatory for getting trade licenses, waste uses charge and for other purposes like deep bore well facilities under certain clauses.”