The Madurai corporation has achieved a record property tax collection of ₹54.91 crore in April, following the successful implementation of a 5% early payment incentive scheme. This figure is more than double the ₹23.21 crore collected in April 2024 during the same incentive period.
Corporation officials attribute this significant increase in collections to rigorous field-level enforcement and awareness campaigns, both targeted and via social media. The 5% rebate provided to property owners who settled their taxes before April 30, capped at ₹5,000 per taxpayer, is believed to have enhanced compliance. Officials noted that this represents the highest property tax collection in a single month in the history of the civic body.
A senior corporation official credited this remarkable increase to the proactive awareness campaigns led by Commissioner Chitra Vijayan. ‘We have adopted a proactive strategy by prioritizing the clearance of outstanding dues ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections,’ the official stated. Additionally, over 3.5 lakh property tax notices were printed and distributed ward-wise in April as part of this outreach initiative, the official added.
In order to enhance revenue collection, the corporation has assigned assistant revenue officers and bill collectors to all 100 wards, focusing on both residential and commercial defaulters. Furthermore, all tax collection centers were operational on weekends throughout April, except for public holidays, providing significant convenience for working residents. From the total of ₹54.91 crore collected in April, ₹47.31 crore was derived from current year taxes, while ₹9.1 crore was obtained from arrears. This represents nearly 20% of the total tax demand for the financial year 2025–26.
The civic body has established an ambitious monthly target of ₹25 crore in property tax collections, as stated by the official. In the previous fiscal year (2024–25), the corporation successfully collected ₹251 crore, achieving approximately 80% of its ₹310 crore target. “Motivated by this year’s robust performance, the administration is implementing further reforms to improve tax compliance and address revenue losses,” the official remarked.
The corporation is currently collaborating with TNEB to examine electricity consumption trends. The objective is to pinpoint properties that are being utilized for commercial activities yet are still categorized as residential, thereby facilitating more precise tax evaluations.
Nevertheless, officials have expressed concerns regarding non-tax revenue. Collections from sources such as shop rents, parking fees, and lease payments from municipal properties have fallen short of expectations. Numerous shops owned by the corporation have outstanding rent arrears for several months, and initiatives are being undertaken to send reminders and enforce lease agreements.