<p>Despite the Covid-19 pandemic playing havoc with businesses, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has managed to surpass its previous annual tax collection record. As of December 2020, BBMP had collected Rs 2,449 crore as against the previous year’s Rs 2,376.87 crore.</p>.<p>With just about 80 days left for the completion of the ongoing Budget year, the BBMP is aiming to rake in at least Rs 500 to Rs 600 crore to successfully accomplish its desired target of collecting Rs 3,000 crore as against the previous year’s collection of Rs 2,729 crore.</p>.<p>The increased collection of tax, according to the BBMP Revenue officials was due to the better enforcement and constant reminders to tax payers at regular intervals.</p>.<p>“We have increased our outreach using media alerts and exerting pressure on people to pay up taxes. Besides sending notices and warrants repeatedly to defaulters, we have also taken stringent action against offenders. Constant vigilance by our departments has helped in collecting more taxes than the previous years,” a senior official from the Revenue section of BBMP told <span class="italic">DH</span>.</p>.<p>The nation-wide lockdown against Covid-19 and initial curbs on trade and other activities had cast doubts on the BBMP’s prospects of tax collection.</p>.<p>However, tiding over a major crisis, the civic body has managed to perform decently with another two-and-a-half months left for the actual closure of accounts.</p>.<p>“We are still awaiting payment of taxes from 8,000 to 10,000 people and are hopeful of getting them on time to ensure that we reach the target set for the financial year,” the official clarified. During 2019-20, the BBMP, despite trying a variety of innovative methods, managed to collect only Rs 2,729 crore.</p>.<p>However, this year, after adopting strict enforcement measures, the civic body has managed to collect Rs 72.13 crore more than it had raked in the previous year.</p>
<p>Despite the Covid-19 pandemic playing havoc with businesses, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has managed to surpass its previous annual tax collection record. As of December 2020, BBMP had collected Rs 2,449 crore as against the previous year’s Rs 2,376.87 crore.</p>.<p>With just about 80 days left for the completion of the ongoing Budget year, the BBMP is aiming to rake in at least Rs 500 to Rs 600 crore to successfully accomplish its desired target of collecting Rs 3,000 crore as against the previous year’s collection of Rs 2,729 crore.</p>.<p>The increased collection of tax, according to the BBMP Revenue officials was due to the better enforcement and constant reminders to tax payers at regular intervals.</p>.<p>“We have increased our outreach using media alerts and exerting pressure on people to pay up taxes. Besides sending notices and warrants repeatedly to defaulters, we have also taken stringent action against offenders. Constant vigilance by our departments has helped in collecting more taxes than the previous years,” a senior official from the Revenue section of BBMP told <span class="italic">DH</span>.</p>.<p>The nation-wide lockdown against Covid-19 and initial curbs on trade and other activities had cast doubts on the BBMP’s prospects of tax collection.</p>.<p>However, tiding over a major crisis, the civic body has managed to perform decently with another two-and-a-half months left for the actual closure of accounts.</p>.<p>“We are still awaiting payment of taxes from 8,000 to 10,000 people and are hopeful of getting them on time to ensure that we reach the target set for the financial year,” the official clarified. During 2019-20, the BBMP, despite trying a variety of innovative methods, managed to collect only Rs 2,729 crore.</p>.<p>However, this year, after adopting strict enforcement measures, the civic body has managed to collect Rs 72.13 crore more than it had raked in the previous year.</p>
