SECUNDERABAD: The coronavirus outbreak and the 21-day lockdown has hit the property tax collection by Secunderabad Cantonment Board(SCB).
The board had planned to generate around Rs 100 crore revenue from property tax, but has only managed to collect around Rs 50 crore through online payment.
The last date for payment of 2019-20 property tax, which is one of the major sources of revenue for the board, was initially March 31.
At a recent board meeting, SCB chief executive officer SVR Chandra Sekhar said that the deadline will not be extended further and property owners will have to pay the tax online.
There are around 50,000 properties, including residential and commercial, in Cantonment areas.
Tax inspectors say that due to the fear of contracting te infection, property owners are not paying the tax at the board office. “Some people are not opening the door, saying that they would pay it online,” said a tax inspector.
Meanwhile, several property owners and ward members have urged the board to extend the deadline by atleast a month. However, SCB members said that only the CEO can take a call on the matter.
March 30, 2020