PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) is facing a shortfall in property tax collection, having received only Rs 49 crore against its target of Rs 70 crore for the financial year ending this month. With just seven days left, officials are making all efforts to recover the dues from major defaulters, some of whom have accumulated substantial arrears over the past years.
Among the biggest defaulters, Mahant Indiresh Hospital tops the list with an outstanding property tax of Rs 12.26 crore pending since 2016, as per the officials. Other institutions that have yet to clear their dues include Maharana Pratap Sports College, which owes Rs 1.40 crore since 2019, the Transit Hostel in Race Course with Rs 73 lakh pending since 2017, the District Judge Office with Rs 82 lakh pending since 2016 and the Pollution Control Board with dues Rs 44.35 lakh since 2019.
Besides this, SIIDCUL has been in dispute over its property tax liabilities, with Rs eight lakh outstanding for the past six years. The officials claimed that citing legal exemptions, SIIDCUL has refused to pay the tax, prompting the MCD to issue a recovery notice directing it to settle the dues by March 31. If SIIDCUL fails to pay all dues within the given timeframe, the corporation has warned that it will initiate proceedings to attach SIIDCUL’s properties to recover the pending amount, they said.
With the financial year drawing to a close, MCD officials are ramping up efforts to maximise tax collection and meet their target, ensuring compliance from all defaulters.
