Government departments owe Rs 120 crore in property tax to Karnal civic body

KARNAL: Various departments of the state and the central governments owe over Rs 120 crore as property tax to the Karnal municipal corporation (MC).

The MC officials are struggling to recover the dues. They have sent several notices to various departments, but to no avail.

Karnal deputy commissioner-cum-municipal corporation commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav held a meeting with the representatives of various state government departments on Friday, and directed them to deposit the property tax within 15 days.

He said around 15 state government departments owe Rs 40 crore as property tax to the MC, while the departments under the central government owe Rs 80 crore.

According to the Karnal municipal corporation, HPA Madhuban owes Rs 26.35 crore, cooperative sugar mill Rs 3. 94 crore, UHBVN owes Rs 3.14 crore, PWD (B&R) Rs 2.76 crore, public health department Rs 1.64 crore, irrigation department Rs 1.7 crore, sports department Rs 81.21 lakh, jila parishad Rs 68.79 lakh, HSVP Rs 65.34 lakh, agriculture Rs 20.42 lakh, marketing board Rs 17.99 lakh and cooperative bank owes Rs 2.69 lakh.

“The MC generates revenue from property tax, license fee, development charges, shop rent, etc. and gives basic facilities to the city residents. It is the duty of the departments or institutions to pay their taxes on time so that the MC has funds to carry out the development works,” said Yadav.

He said action would be taken as per the law, if anyone fails to deposit the property tax within the stipulated time.