GHMC aims to collect Rs 1250 Cr Property Tax

Hyderabad, Jan 27 : GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar on Monday informed that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation as on today collected the property tax amounting to Rs. 538.67 crores which is Rs. 70 crores more than that of last year on the same day and could reach the GHMC’s first target Rs. 1000 crores and later the target is being fixed for Rs. 1,250 crores.

Addressing a press conference here, Somesh Kumar further said that GHMC has sought clarification from the government regarding exempting the officials for assessing unauthorized structures and said that mere assessing any property for property tax does not give any right on the property. Responding to the query of the reporters with regard to property tax collection of Paryataka Bhavan, which is under AP Tourism Department, the Commissioner said a team of tax wing officials have continuously monitoring with the Paryataka Bhavan authorities for collection of property tax dues to the extent of Rs. 2 crores which is pending since long time. The officials could collect Rs. 25 lakhs and the remaining will be collected soon duly coordinating with them, he said.

The Commissioner said that GHMC will be taking up the construction of compound walls to 385 open spaces with Rs. 49 crores covering a stretch of 70 kilometers of compound wall and in all 1,385 (including earlier protected 1000 open spaces) parks a massive plantation will be taken up by June, this year. He further requested the public through media to bring the information regarding open spaces in their localities to GHMC through the GHMC Call Centre.

Somesh Kumar also said that a rapid survey has been taken up with 95 teams and identified 3498 people, it has also been noticed that nearly 1600 people have come forward to stay in the night shelters and most of them are not willing to come forward, for which the GHMC is planning to take up special drive to explain them about the need so that they can also know the benefits of the night shelters. The GHMC is also planning to provide mobile toilets near temporary night shelters for the convenience of the needy. The APSRTC has also joined hands with GHMC for providing 2 busses removing seats and providing them to sleep in the busses and these busses will be placed where the necessity is more to accommodate people to use this as night shelters. The Commissioner desired that the media should also come forward to give their suggestions in improving the conditions of the night shelters so that GHMC can further strengthen the project.

The Commissioner said that 50% of the files have been sanctioned with regard to Rs. 50 lakhs worth of works which have to be taken up in 150 Corporators divisions with regard to maintenance of roads and the remaining will be cleared in a day. The files will be under tender process and all the works related to road repair works in 150 divisions will be grounded in fifteen days, he added. The GHMC is very keen in popularizing 24×7 toll free No. 155304 and also planning to strengthen the existing system to solve the grievances in a systematic manner by duly following the citizen charter.

Somesh Kumar said that GHMC is working out and planning to improve the revenue7 from various avenues without burdening the citizens to provide more facilities for their convenience. INN