Bengaluru: EMI option proposed for property tax payments
Bengaluru: The State Finance Commission (SFC) has proposed introducing an EMI scheme for property tax payments in Bengaluru to improve collection efficiency and ease the burden on taxpayers, The Indian Express reported on Wednesday.
The move, as per the fifth SFC report on five city corporations under Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), would help in increasing property tax collection efficiency. “A lump-sum payment each year might be difficult to manage, and splitting it into monthly payments might make it easier to pay while also softening the impact,” the report said.
The commission has also suggested offering rebates for timely payment of property tax, similar to the 5 per cent rebate previously offered by the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Such a measure, the SFC observed, “can also incentivise people to pay on time.”
ALSO READ: 108 Naxals surrender in Chhattisgarh
Data cited in the report shows that as of September last year, the BBMP had identified around 2.75 lakh defaulters who owed Rs 786 cr in property tax dues. This came after the civic body recovered nearly Rs 1,200 crore in arrears through a one-time settlement scheme, which offered a full waiver of interest on arrears and a 50 per cent reduction in penalties.
According to the SFC, bringing unassessed properties under the tax net was expected to add approximately Rs 1,000 crore annually to the property tax revenue of five city corporations. It was being done by integrating the GIS-based e-khata system with the property tax system. The report said that “There are nearly five lakh properties that have not been brought under the tax net and remain unassessed.”
Another recommendation includes cross-checking property tax records with Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) data, especially for new connections, using GBA’s building licence data.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
West Asia conflict: Bengaluru LPG consumers engage in panic booking
Bengaluru (PTI): Panic enquiries for domestic LPG cylinders have risen at several gas agencies in Bengaluru in the past few days amid concerns over supply disruptions due to the widening West Asia conflict, though dealers said on Wednesday that stocks are adequate as of now.
However, there is an acute shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, forcing several hotels and restaurants in the city to operate under strain, an LPG dealer told PTI.
Hotel and restaurant owners reiterated that they would be forced to shut down once their stock is exhausted.
A representative of Indane distributor, Sri Giridhar Agencies, said there has been no disruption in the supply of LPG cylinders for domestic use.
"Every day we have been receiving loads. There is no disruption in supply. However, we have been getting numerous panic calls from customers enquiring whether there is sufficient stock. Calls for bookings have also gone up," the representative, who did not wish to be identified, said.
ALSO READ: Blinkit delivery agent breaks customer’s nose after address mix-up in Bengaluru
He assured customers that adequate loads were arriving regularly and there was no need for panic.
Several LPG gas dealers in the city said that panic enquiries have also led to advance bookings for LPG cylinders, with many customers opting to secure refills in advance, fearing possible supply disruption due to the widening West Asia conflict.
Ravi Gowda of Balaji Stores, a private cylinder gas agency, said the shop has been receiving many enquiries about LPG availability in the past two days.
"We have been getting a lot of queries related to the availability of LPG cylinders. But we have sufficient stock as of now. We are getting stock on a daily basis, and it can be delivered on an urgent basis," he said.
A representative from Mahhan Enterprises in Uttarahalli attributed the situation to a temporary disruption in supply, saying LPG cylinders had not arrived for about a week, but supplies have now resumed.
"If customers book now, the cylinder will be delivered within four to five days. In case of an emergency, they can also come and collect it directly from the agency," the representative said, adding that there is no major crisis, though deliveries may sometimes be delayed by a day or two.
An LPG dealer, on condition of anonymity, said commercial cylinders are not available and hotels are bearing the brunt, with the Bangalore Hotel Association saying that the hotels and restaurants in the city will be forced to shut down.
"There is a crisis for commercial cylinders, but there is no problem with the domestic supply. Earlier, we used to supply within two or three days, but now, after the crisis, we cannot deny supplies for domestic use. One cylinder lasts about a month for a household, so they have fixed a 30-day time period for stock here. People may panic, so this has to be handled carefully," he told PTI.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday sought the Centre's urgent intervention to ensure the supply of adequate commercial LPG cylinders to hotels and restaurants in Bengaluru.
He said hotels, restaurants and catering establishments in the city would be forced to suspend operations if supplies are not restored, affecting a large number of students and working professionals who depend on them for regular meals.
In his letter to Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, he also requested that appropriate directions be given to the oil marketing companies to address the current supply constraints and help ease the situation.
Referring to the March 9 order issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas prioritising LPG supply for domestic consumers, Siddaramaiah said while the intention behind the order to ensure uninterrupted LPG supply to households across the country is well understood and appreciated, its implementation appears to have led to an unintended shortage of commercial LPG in Bengaluru.
