Giving a sigh of relief to residents who had to clear their property tax dues, the department has now given them till May 31. The defaulters will not require to pay interest or penalty on the amount and will also get 10 per cent rebate on the total pending tax.
The civic officials have received a notification and they have now started circulating the same through media or social media platform for the benefit of the people as some residents were worried about paying the tax by March 31. They were also raising queries with the officials concerned.
The MC offices are closed for public dealing, but the field staff has been asked to resolve public grievances.
In the notification, it has been mentioned that the last date for availing the 10 per cent rebate on the lump sum payment of the pending house tax or property tax has been extended from March 31 to May 31. Residents will not have to pay any penalty or interest by May 31. In case they could not pay their pending amount by May 31, they will further get 3-month time to clear their dues, but will have to pay 10 per cent penalty on the amount.
However, in case people will not pay tax even after these 3 months, they will then have to pay 20 per cent penalty and 18 per cent interest will be imposed on their pending amount.
The superintendent of the MC, Abdul Satar, while confirming the same, said the notification had been circulated among the officials and they were circulating it among the masses as well. He said at the moment there was curfew and people could not come to pay tax so they had time till May end now. He said residents could pay their tax online without any hassle.
Meanwhile, residents heaved a sigh of relief by saying that it was a good step by the authorities.
Harvinder Singh, a resident of Sunil Park, said he wanted to pay the tax but due to the coronavirus outbreak and curfew, it was difficult to step out.
He said he did not know his UID number and could not fill the tax online so extension of the deadline came as a relief for him.
Notably, this one-time settlement policy for house tax or property tax was notified in November last year and people had time till February 26 to clear the dues, but the deadline was extended to March 31 and now it has been again extended to May 31.
