Prayagraj will seize properties for unpaid taxes

The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) has announced that it will start seizing properties for unpaid taxes after March 31, 2025. Residents who have not paid their property tax and water tax for a long time have received notices. If they do not pay soon, the corporation will begin attaching their properties. PK Dwivedi, the chief tax assessment officer, spoke at the Prayagraj Smart City Conference. He highlighted the importance of property and water taxes as key revenue sources for the municipality. The PMC aims to collect taxes from 2.36 lakh buildings in the city by the deadline. So far, taxes from 1.50 lakh buildings have already been collected. The total tax collected this financial year is ₹95.50 crore from 1,46,210 properties. The PMC has set a target of ₹130 crore, a 25% increase from last year's collection of ₹104.54 crore. Dwivedi mentioned that only 2,000 property owners in the expanded area have paid their house tax. There are pending payments from 3,108 buildings. The water tax collection has reached ₹103.29 crore from 1,02,005 properties. To help residents, the PMC has launched a new website for checking tax details and making payments online. Starting next year, tax bills will include a QR code for easier payment options. Dwivedi warned that a 12% interest will be charged on unpaid property tax and a 10% surcharge on water tax after the March 31 deadline. The PMC continues to encourage timely tax payments to avoid extra charges. There has been a rise in online tax payments this year, with ₹14.16 crore collected from 36,109 households using digital methods. A new Grievance Module has also been introduced, allowing citizens to submit complaints about tax-related issues. So far, 232 complaints have been registered, with 218 already resolved. The PMC is also using Digital Twin technology for a city-wide survey to track property changes. This initiative is expected to enhance the corporation's revenue generation efforts.