MC struggles to meet budget income target

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 17

The Municipal Corporation is struggling to meet the proposed budget target of Rs 892 crore (without including Rs 100 crore loan) for the financial year 2021-22. The target is to be achieved by March 31 but the MC has generated an income of only Rs 707.57 crore till March 16.

Against the target of Rs 110 crore, the MC has collected Rs 82.96 crore as property tax. The civic body has also served notices on the defaulters of property tax.

The MC’s collection for water supply/sewerage charges seemed to be too low this financial year. The MC has generated an income of only Rs 38.95 crore from April 1, 2021, to March 16, 2022, against the target of Rs 90 crore. The civic body had generated around Rs 59 crore during the corresponding period of the last financial year.

The MC has received Rs 469.23 crore as GST/VAT collection and Rs 42.04 crore as additional excise duty that are higher than the proposed income under these heads during the current financial year.

The MC collected Rs 2.45 crore as rent and Tehbazari fees so far against the target of Rs 6.5 crore.

The MC’s building branch was given a target of Rs 13 crore as building fees/building regularisation charges but the civic body has collected Rs 4.82 crore so far. The civic body has collected Rs 10.57 crore as development /change of land use charges to date against the target of Rs 20 crore.

Commissioner, MC, Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal on Thursday conducted a meeting with officials and directed them to speed up the recovery drive.

It is learnt that the House meeting of the MC for the next financial year budget would be held before the end of this month.

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