However, the irony is that the NMC Commissioner cared a hoot to follow the suggested measures with excuse of lack of time to go through the entire exercise and conveniently put the ball into Additional Municipal Commissioner’s court. The Additional Commissioner too bungled in his actions.
Nagpur News: The poor financial situation of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has now drawn the attention of INTUC affiliated unions of NMC and they have suggested a slew of measures to NMC Commissioner aimed at increasing the revenue of cash-strapped civic body. The suggested measures mainly pertain to revamp of Tax Department, get rid of messy affairs and tighten the grip over assessment and recovery of various taxes in order to fill the NMC coffers to the brim. The better situation of coffers will certainly make NMC self-dependent instead of roaming with begging bowl. But the suggested measures need care of top NMC boss.
However, the irony is that the NMC Commissioner cared a hoot to follow the suggested measures with excuse of lack of time to go through the entire exercise and conveniently put the ball into Additional Municipal Commissioner’s court. The Additional Commissioner too bungled in his actions. He invited crucial aspects pertaining to suggested measures from the proposers themselves instead of the NMC Administration. The move by Additional Municipal Commissioner left the proposers sweating and trembling as they themselves had not prepared the well-studied measures. Now, the NMC Administration should find out the person behind the intelligent measures suggested by the NMC unions affiliated with INTUC. If the Administration finds the suggestions genuine and effectively working, it should form a committee to study the suggested measures in details. The committee should subsequently prepare a proposal on the measures and get is passed in the General Body Meeting of the NMC for implementation.
The NMC Commissioner and Additional Commissioner were suggested that working of tax assessment and tax collection should be done separately and separate officials and employees. The technical and non-technical officials and employees should be given responsibility of works in accordance with their designations. At present, employees in Property Tax Department are indulging in trickery and fiddling with papers and thus spreading confusion among NMC circles. If the appropriate officials and employees are deployed in the Tax Department, the paper work would be streamlined and the process of tax assessment would be without any hassles.
The suggested measures further include big publicity to encourage tax payers to remit taxes on time and the subsequent benefits for them for paying the taxes regularly. With increasing population and corresponding increase in properties, the Property Tax Department should be overhauled in consonance with today’s needs i. e. fit and capable officials and employees should be appointed on the vacant posts. They should be given proper training in all the aspects that would help in increasing revenue manifold. A Special Squad under the NMC Commissioner is a must. A workshop before commencement of tax collection process should be held wherein proper directives and guidance must be issued to the concerned officials and employees ir order to streamline the process. A separate office for dealing shortcomings or complaints in tax recovery could prove a good move.
According to information contained in the suggested measures, the properties in the last 30 years have seen a quantum jump. But the number of officials and employees in the Tax and Assessment Department has remained the same that is proving major hurdle in increasing the revenue. Following is comparison of Ward Numbers:
Year Wards
1970 48
2012 145
According to 1991 Census, there were 3 lakh properties including 40 per cent jhuggis and jhopdis. The total number of properties increased to 4.5 lakh according to 2001 Census. Now, in 2014, approximately 5.50 lakh properties are being expected by the NMC authorities.
