1,502 defaulters owe more than Rs 1 lakh each as property tax to Guwahati Municipal Corporation

As on July 31, 2021, such persons & business establishments have a total arrear of Rs 41,55,87,337 payable to the Corporation

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The GMC (Guwahati Municipal Corporation) has arrears amounting to over Rs 41 crore from 1,502 defaulters who owe more than Rs 1 lakh each as property tax. According to the GMC notice issued on July 31, 2021, such persons and business establishments owe Rs 41,55,87,337 to the Corporation.

Mentionably, property tax is a prime source of revenue for the GMC. The property tax is collected under the 'GMC Act-1971'. At present, there are 1,76,099 property holders across the six zones — Dispur, East, West, South, Central, and Lakhra — under the GMC.

The property tax has to be paid by any person who owns property in areas under the jurisdiction of GMC. There is also the option of paying the property tax online. The tax is otherwise paid at the GMC offices or in banks. To pay the property tax online, a citizen must register himself/herself with the GMC Property Tax portal.

Talking to The Sentinel, an official of the Corporation said, "We have already uploaded the zone-wise names of the defaulters — having more than Rs 1 lakh as dues — in the GMC website on July 31."

He pointed out, "The defaulters have been provided a flexible timeframe with three options. Initially, they will get 30 days for payment of the tax. Then, they will be provided 15 days; and finally 24 hours. If they do not pay the arrears of property tax even then, the GMC will move to attach their properties."

The official added, "The GMC will soon upload the lists of other defaulters too. It will be in two categories — (a) Defaulters owing Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh; (b) Defaulters owing less than Rs 50,000.

The zone-wise lists of defaulters — owing more than Rs 1 lakh — to the GMC are as follows:

The Central Zone tops the lists with Rs 12,44,05,656 as arrear amount from 451 defaulters; followed by Lakhra Zone with Rs 8,25,32,078 pending from 272 defaulters; South Zone has Rs 7,08,23,813 from 233 defaulters; Dispur Zone has 252 defaulters with arrear amount of Rs 6,35,61,469.

In the East Zone of GMC, there are 152 defaulters with a total arrear amount of Rs 4,61,83,037 payable to GMC; and the West Zone has 142 defaulters having total arrear amount of Rs 2,80, 81,284 as property tax payable to GMC.

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