The Kolkata Municipal Corporation on Monday extended the deadline to apply for the 100% interest waiver scheme on property tax till February 28. The civic brass announced the extension on Monday as the previous deadline was January 31.
According to KMC board of administrators (BoA) chairman Firhad Hakim the extension of deadline was aimed at bringing more property tax payers under the tax net as the middle class was hit hard by the pandemic. A property tax defaulter will now have to pay the amount by the same date.
The KMC assessment department had introduced the scheme in October, last year. Speaking to mediapersons, Hakim conceded that the civic body couldn’t mop up desired revenue from the 100% interest waiver scheme because of the pandemic. “Now we hope to rake in some revenue as the situation is slowly returning to normal,” Hakim said.
However, the KMC has approved the compilation of a list of the city’s habitual and major property tax defaulters to keep a watch on them. “If they fail to apply within the deadline, we shall be compelled to take stringent action. This may include attachment of property,” said a KMC revenue department official.