After the implementation of the one-time settlement (OTS) scheme for property tax, 1.07 lakh property owners have utilised it, paying the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) ₹184.77 crore in dues till July 29.
The scheme will end on Wednesday, July 31. The civic body has said that the window for availing of the scheme will be available till 9 p.m., Wednesday.
According to data provided by the BBMP, from April 1 to July 29, the number of property tax defaulters has seen a notable decline, which officials say shows the effectiveness of the OTS scheme.
As of April 1, the total number of properties with outstanding tax dues was 3,95,250. The total amount of tax demanded from these defaulters stood at ₹733.71 crore. By July 29, the number of properties with outstanding tax dues had reduced to 2,87,906. Correspondingly, the total tax demand from these properties decreased to ₹548.94 crore. This decline indicates a substantial improvement in tax collection within a span of just a few months.
“This overall decrease of approximately 1,07,344 properties and a reduction in the tax demand by ₹184.77 crore is due to the OTS,” the official added.
Bommanahalli zone showed a decrease from 62,226 properties (₹99.63 crore) to 45,381 properties (₹71.10 crore). Dasarahalli zone saw defaulters drop from 18,572 (₹25.07 crore) to 13,176 (₹18.71 crore). East zone saw a drop from 53,421 properties (₹101.47 crore) to 39,400 (₹76.52 crore).
Mahadevapura zone recorded an improvement, reducing from 83,330 properties (₹181.45 crore) to 60,485 (₹124.23 crore). Rajarajeshwari Nagar zone saw a decrease from 59,419 properties (₹55.91 crore) to 44,570 (₹43.27 crore). So too south zone, from 38,860 properties (₹112.33 crore) to 27,157 (₹84.11 crore), the west zone, from 37,708 properties (₹102.55 crore) to 27,870 (₹89.20 crores), and Yelahanka zone from 41,714 properties (₹55.20 crores) to 29,867 (₹41.81 crores).
Meanwhile, according to BBMP, as of April 1, there were 16,501 properties with pending revision cases for property tax, amounting to a total demand of ₹222.38 crore. By July 29, the number of properties with pending revision cases slightly increased to 16,904, and the total tax demand rose significantly to ₹282.59 crore.