'ULBs not keen on revenue mobilisation'

The urban local bodies have not been keen on strengthening revenue mobilisation ever since they started to receive JnNURM grants and funds from State Finance Commission, A Ravindra, Advisor to chief minister on Urban Affairs, said.

Speaking at a function organised by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry here on Friday, Ravindra said barring the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, all the urban local bodies (ULBs) were happy with the government ‘largesse’.

During the year 2011-12, all ULBs together, except the Palike, have generated a paltry revenue of Rs 275 crore by way of property tax.

Survey

According to a survey, all the urban local bodies have over 42 lakh registered properties under their jurisdictions and the tax collected constitutes only 18.36 per cent of the total tax revenue that could be generated. And this, despite introducing the self assessment scheme to make the collection of revenue easier and faster, said Ravindra. “These 42 lakh properties include the 16 lakh registered properties in Bangalore, and  the BBMP has been able to assess only 13 lakh properties. Out of the remaining 26 lakh properties, only 11 lakh properties have been assessed to tax,” he said.

According to Ravindra, the worst ULB was the Mangalore City Corporation with an assessment of only 22 per cent properties. In Hubli, Dharwad and Belgaum, the total property tax collection is around 80 per cent, he said.