Hyderabad: The five per cent rebate early bird scheme introduced by the government has helped the urban local bodies in the State other than the GHMC to collect over Rs 400 crore which is more than the previous year’s collections.

The State government had provided a rebate of five per cent in the payment of property tax in the urban local bodies in the State (other than GHMC) till April 30. The total collections during the last one month were Rs 400.36 crore. The demand was Rs 2,264.84 crore from the ULBs other than GHMC and collection was 17.68 per cent because of the early bird scheme. During the previous year, the collections were 14.80 per cent.

According to the officials, the ULBs had taken up wide publicity and encouraged the taxpayers to avail the benefit given by the government on five per cent rebate on property tax collections who have cleared their pending dues. The Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration (CDMA) monitored the progress on a regular basis and issued timely instructions to all the Municipal Commissioners in the State.

The official informed that during the property tax rebate collections, Jammikunta Municipality 54.78 per cent and Huzurabad Municipality with 51.85 per cent were on top and achieved above over 50 per cent collections.

Further, as many as 35 ULBs have done more than 25 per cent collections including Bollaram, Ramagundam Corp, Gummadidala, Peerzadiguda Corp, Thumukunta, Maddur, Gundlapochampalle, Nizampet Corp, Chotuppal, Nagaram, Narisingi, Siddipet, Narayankhed, Raikal, Kodada, Korutla, Medchal, Ameenpur, Haliya, Armoor, Wadepalle, Boduppal, Kompally, Luxettipet, Metpalli, Mandamarri, Suryapet, Thukkuguda, Meerpet, Gaddapotharam, Toopran, Dundigal, Bandlaguda Jagir, Alampur and Neredcherla.

The ULBs which had collected below 10 per cent were Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC), Medak, Wardhanpet, Cheriyal, Wyra, Pochampally, Bhainsa, Imbrahimpatnam, Jalpally, Sadashivpet, Wanaparthy, Adilabad, Deverakonda, Vemulavwada, Bhodhan, Aswaraopeta, Station Ganpur, Edulapuram, Bhupalpally and Asifabad.

The new ULBs like Gummadidala had a collection of 42 per cent. The ULBs like Maddur 34.2 per cent Gaddapotharam 26.24 per cent, Moinabad 21.41 per cent, Chevella 21.26 per cent have done exceedingly well and developed a habit of paying off early property tax payment among citizens. The official informed that regular SMS and reminders were sent to the taxpayers reminding them to avail the benefit given by the government.

A ‘live in’ show was conducted by the CDMA Commissioner TK Sreedevi on All India Radio and encouraged citizens to avail the five per cent property tax rebate. The taxpayers have voluntarily come forward to avail the five per cent rebate benefit and make payments, the official informed.