Bengaluru: Owning a home or property in the state capital Bengaluru is a big deal. Even if you own a house or property in the main commercial areas of the city, paying tax is a big burden. However, the Congress Government has extended the 5% concession on property tax to owners of properties under BBMP till June 30.
The 5% concession has been extended for property tax payers under BBMP. On the order of Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, the order has been issued extending the discount to the payers. The concession period which was till May 31 has been extended till June 30 and the Government has requested the public to take advantage of this and pay the tax.
Extension of concession period even during Covid:
Generally only in the first month of May (May 1 to May 31) which is the beginning of the financial year, all Municipal Corporations of the state including Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Municipal Council, Municipality and Gram Panchayat level give 5% discount on property tax. After this one has to pay the tax payment amount prescribed by the Government. However, in the wake of the Covid epidemic in the last two years, the 5% discount on property tax payment under BBMP was extended till June 30. This year also 5% discount on property tax payment is extended till June 30.
Under BBMP for the year 2023-24, only taxpayers who have paid property tax in the month of May will be given 5% rebate. As Assembly election process work was going on in the months of April and May, all the staff of the Revenue Department were engaged in election work. Therefore, most of the property owners in the city have been behind in paying their annual property tax. Thus, BBMP former ruling party leader M. Sivaraju and Opposition Leader Abdul Wajid had submitted a request to BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath that they should extend 5% discount on property tax payment this year as well.
BBMP is administered by the Government itself (administrator and chief commissioner) without any board members. The Councillor of the Corporation has the authority to grant concessions on payment of property tax to the administrative officer. A 5% discount should be announced to the public immediately. He submitted a request to extend the 5% discount for 1 month to taxpayers who pay property tax on time as every year as the current election work has been completed and in the financial interest of the public.