NMC commissioner reads riot act to lax officials
Nagpur:
Nagpur Municipal Corporation
(NMC) commissioner
Abhijeet Chaudhari
has warned officials of stern action if they failed to achieve the property tax recovery target after the civic body failed to meet last year's target. In a high-level review meeting held on Friday, Chaudhari issued firm directives to officials, setting an ambitious target of Rs400 crore in property tax recovery for the 2025-26 financial year.
Last year, NMC aimed to collect Rs325 crore property tax, but recovered only Rs284 crore. Chaudhari called for a detailed audit of why targets weren't met, pointing out that some zones collected less than 50% of their assigned goals. He instructed that notices be issued to underperforming officers and employees, demanding explanations. As part of the revamped strategy, around 3.25 lakh property tax bills will be sent out via post, while the remaining 4 lakh bills will be hand-delivered by municipal staff. To avoid miscommunication, officials have been told to update the addresses and mobile numbers of property owners.
Chaudhari also stressed the importance of identifying and reassessing undervalued or under-assessed properties across all zones, calling for active involvement from assistant commissioners. "Each zone has its discrepancies. It's time we fix those," he said, urging officials to step up efforts in rehabilitating taxable properties. The NMC has also initiated a new campaign to identify new properties for tax inclusion, and GIS data compilation has been made a top priority.
NMC has introduced a chatbot for providing information about property tax to help citizens access information related to their dues. Moreover, special instructions have been given to ensure tax is collected from govt properties, with Chaudhari insisting that "Aatacha Paath Purawa" — documentation and proof — be completed without delay. "Performance will be monitored closely, and action will be taken against those who don't meet expectations," the commissioner warned, signalling a no-nonsense approach going forward.
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