The local bodies department has once again issued a notification on one-time settlement scheme for defaulters who had not paid their property tax of the previous years. Earlier on September 4, the department had a notification in this regard, but it was put on hold by senior officials a day later. Now, the notification has been reissued with some modifications.
The defaulters will get relief as they won’t have to pay the penalty and interest on the principal amount if they clear the dues till December 31. The move will certainly cause losses for the MC, sources said.This one-time settlement scheme is for those people who did not clear their dues (fully or partially) till March 31, 2023. If the defaulters pay the principal amount in one go till December 31, then all the penalty and interest levied on the said amount will be waived off till this period, officials said while citing the notification.
But, if the above dues are paid after December 31 and before March 31, 2024, the residents will get 50% waiver on all the penalty and interest levied on the said amount. In the previous notification, there was no relief for defaulters after December 31. But now the scheme is applicable till March next year.
Meanwhile, the MC officials are in a dilemma as the move will reduce their tax revenue. One of the officials claimed that it was expected in view of MC elections. He said the government should avoid such freebies or offers as it damages the spirit of good tax payers who clear their dues in time.
MC superintendent Vivek Verna said, “We will start giving the facility to the public from Tuesday most probably and people can come and avail one-time settlement scheme then.”
Earlier on September 5, the local bodies department within hours of issuing a notification directed officials not to implement the orders. While the notification was issued late on September 4 night, the fresh directions (conveyed over the phone) came the next morning. Thereafter, the suvidha centre employees were instructed not to waive off interest or penalty amount of tax defaulters. A few residents, who had gone to clear their dues, were lucky as they got the waiver by the time officials received the phone call about the new orders.