Municipal corporation (MC) of Ludhiana has decided to keep its zonal suvidha kendras open on govt holidays too till March 31.
These centres will remain operational on March 16 (Saturday), March 23 (Saturday), March 29 (Good Friday), March 30 (Saturday), and March 31 (Sunday).
It has also been decided to keep the suvidha kendras open till 4pm till the month end.
The civic body , meanwhile, urged the residents to avail the benefits of one-time settlement (OTS) policy and submit the property dues at 50% interest and penalty waiver on the pending amount.
MC commissioner Sandeep Rishi also convened a meeting with the zonal commissioners and superintendents in this regard on Tuesday and directed them to expedite the recovery of dues.
As per the norms, the residents, who have not paid tax in the past, are liable to pay 20% penalty and 18% annual interest on pending property tax amount. A 100% penalty is imposed on the residents, who submit the wrong amount of tax.
Officials said a large number of residents have failed to deposit their dues since year 2013-14. They can now pay their dues by March 31 at 50% waiver on interest and penalty.
The residents, who have submitted wrong tax in the past, can also avail the benefits of OTS policy.
Rishi said it was a golden opportunity for the residents to pay pending property tax and avail 50% interest and penalty waiver. “But this benefit can be availed only on lumpsum payment of pending property tax by March 31,” he added.
The MC chief further said that the staff has also been directed to reach out to the defaulters and recover the pending tax.
The funds recovered from them will be used to carry out development works and provide basic amenities in the city, he added.
Against the annual recovery target of Rs 134.7 crore, the property tax wing of the MC has received around Rs 129 crore as of now.Last year, the civic body had recovered around Rs 112.13 crore till March 12.