Property tax collection in city takes a hit

According to a Chennai Corporation official, property tax collection was stopped on March 15 after all civic body manpower, irrespective of the department, was channelised towards the virus containment works. During 2018-2019 financial year, the Chennai Corporation had crossed Rs 1,000 crore property tax collection for the first time, collecting Rs 1,002 crore.

“Collecting tax during a disease outbreak will put both residents and the Corporation employees in danger of contracting the disease. So we have stopped tax collection. We are contemplating to extend the deadline

for tax collection and the same will be resumed once the crisis ebbs,” said another official.

The city corporation had earlier fixed a property tax collection target of Rs 1,350 crore.However, the State government’s decision to withhold property tax hike affected the collection, subsequently forcing the civic body to revise the target to Rs 1,000 crore.