Local government department with a scheme: building tax with electricity-water bill

• Solution for unpaid building tax
• Convenient, as the connections are in the name of the building

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The local government department is preparing a plan to collect the building tax by adding it to the electricity bill or water bill to make the collection efficient. People will also be spared the hassle of going to and from the corporation and panchayat offices.

People who do not pay the building tax rarely fail to pay the current bill and water bill for the same building. Even for locked houses, this is the case. If the building bill is also given along with it, it will be convenient for them too. The government is planning to take advantage of this situation. The tax collection can reach one hundred percent. At present, it has reduced to thirty percent. Discussions have been started seeking the cooperation of the concerned departments in this regard.

The coordination committee meeting of the department held last week tasked MG Rajamanikyam, Principal Director of the Local Government Department, to examine the legal and practical aspects and submit a report. Mainly cooperation of KSEB is sought. This is because every building has electricity connection irrespective of whether it is rural or urban. People pay electricity bills more accurately than water bills.

First the amendment of law; amount in single account

1. An amendment to the Panchayat and Municipalities Act will be required to include the Building Tax Bill with the Essential Services Bill.

2. Building tax is collected twice a year (every six months). Electricity and water bills are collected every two months. The building tax bill for six months will be paid along with the current electricity bill and water bill.

3. Both can be paid together online or directly. For this, the software of the local department and the concerned department will be connected. Just pay the amount into an account. Tax will be transferred from it to the local department. Will be received even if the building is locked.

Convenient for the people

1. Local bodies are not even able to hand over the building tax notices to owners of locked houses. If it's along with electricity and water bills, owners will have to pay the bill voluntarily.

2. People who come to corporations to pay taxes are sent back with various reasons. The amount can be paid only after entering and exiting several times. That too will come to an end.

Collected 30.84 %

With only one month remaining for the end of the current financial year, only 30.84 percent building tax has been collected so far.

Current financial year

Collected, collected (in crores)

Total ...2877.25

So far...887.36

Corporation............1391.52 - 219.54

Municipality.............832.19 - 230.40

Gram Panchayat ....635.54 - 437.42

New possibilities are being sought to streamline building tax collection. The legal aspects will be examined and a report prepared.' - MG Rajamanikyam, Principal Director,LSGD