‘Pay property tax on time,get rebate’ scheme deferred

“This is a prospective policy for financial years 2013-2014 to 2015-16. We have already issued bills for 2012-13 and half-yearly collections have begun,” he said.

BMC had initially proposed rebates for three financial years beginning 2012 — 2 per cent of bill for those paying half-yearly tax by May 31,instead of the July 31 deadline,4 per cent for those who pay the full amount before time and 3 per cent for those who pay tax by June 30.

The standing committee passed the proposal to incentivise on-time payment of property bills on May 6,2012,but the BMC general body okayed it only on June 14,2012.

The administrative delay of over a month compelled it to defer the scheme. A draft of the general body meeting agenda said the corporation was deferring the matter till the next financial year as the incentive proposal reached it after the deadline set to implement the scheme this year.

“We have now begun issuing revised bills based on capital value. We have calculated these starting from the year 2010 to this financial year,so some will have to pay arrears. From 2014,the capital-based property bill should be regularised,” said Shinde.

Citizens will get around three months to pay additional property tax based on capital value for the past three years.

Owners of residential and commercial buildings that have come up post-2010 will have to pay arrears from April 2010 to this year. The final tax for old buildings receiving provisional bills will be adjusted to reflect outstanding.