By Bhamy V. Shenoy
The most important task for any civic body like Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is to collect a maximum amount of Property Tax. Without adequate funding, MCC cannot fulfil its civic responsibilities of providing clean water, keeping city garbage-free, maintaining parks, ensuring safe roads, etc. As can be seen in the graph below, the MCC has failed spectacularly when the actual taxes collected during the last five years between 2012-13 and 2016-17 are compared against the potential of at least Rs. 450 crore. This potential is based on average benchmark for developed world. In 2017-18 Budget the proposed target for Property Tax was Rs. 175 crore (including cess) and the actual amount collected was about Rs.110 crore based on an estimate provided at the time of the Budget. For 2018-19, a more realistic target of Rs. 122 crore has been set. However during the Budget deliberation, no one questioned why such a low target has been set when the potential is Rs. 450 crore and the target earlier was Rs. 175 crore.
