Tirupati: Civic chief Anupama Anjali asks revenue staff to speed up tax collection

Tirupati: Pointing to the poor tax collection including property tax, water charges and UDS service charges, Municipal Commissioner Anupama Anjali urged the revenue officials to speed up the tax mobilisation in the city. The property tax collection was at 71 per cent while the water charges and the UDS (underground drainage scheme) remained much less at about

41 per cent this financial year so far. Against the poor tax collection scenario in the city, the Commissioner held a review meeting with the officials of revenue department at the corporation office on Wednesday seeking them to gear up for the collection of pending property tax, water charge, UDS services and other taxes also.

Without mincing words, she said the performance with regard to tax collection was not up to the mark and the collection of water charges was very low and wanted the revenue staff to take the services of engineering officials and ward amenities secretaries to mobilise the tax collection and to achieve the set targets before the March-end. In case, the water charge dues were heavy, the authorities should take stern action and she directed the superintendent engineer to disconnect water supply if required for collection of long pending dues.

The revenue staff should daily set out on tax collection along with ward staff including admin secretary, amenities secretary, welfare secretary, mahila security secretary and volunteers at 8 in the morning at the corporation wards, the Commissioner said cautioning that any laxity in the collection of taxes viewed seriously and liable for action. The taxpayers on their part, the commissioner said should cooperate with civic authorities in improving tax collection, keeping in view the manifold increase in development initiatives and improvement of civic services in the city in a big way. Deputy Commissioner Chandramouliswar Reddy, Revenue officer Sethu Madhav were present.