Aur, yeh laga BBMP ka sixer

GIS-based property assessment exposes Rs 6 lakh property owners who have been depriving BBMP of over Rs 350 crore in taxes per annum

GIS-based property assessment exposes Rs 6 lakh property owners who have been depriving BBMP of over Rs 350 crore in taxes per annum

Six lakh properties have managed to remain out of the BBMP tax net for some years now.
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This startling fact came to light after KM Shivakumar, a tech-savvy administrator with the civic body, introduced a Geographical Information System (GIS) to assess the number of properties in the city.
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The discovery translates into an addition of over Rs 354 crore in tax revenues for the cash-starved civic body.
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"It's a matter of concern that over six lakh properties are not being assessed. It's a huge loss for the civic body. We have reached the final stage of the process.

The civic body hopes to increase its revenue from property tax by at least 50 per cent once the GIS based system is in place

We will soon bring out a list of defaulters. The IT department helped us utilise this fool-proof system," said Shivakumar.

BBMP officials, who drew flak for a fall in estimated property tax collections for 2009-10, now have a reason to smile.

"We collected Rs 758 crore in taxes in 2009-10," said Dr S Khandre, public relations officer, BBMP. "The revenue will shoot up now as we have traced offenders, who have not assessed their properties."

BBMP hopes to increase its revenue from property tax by at least 50 per cent once the GIS based system is in place.

BBMP officials said they would soon send notices to tax evaders once they work out details like the penalty to be levied and deadlines for payment.

"The new system is foolproof. Neither officials, nor property owners can play mischief. Defaulters have to settle their dues and this will add crores to the exchequer," said Shivakumar.

Rs 758 cr
The amount collected by the BBMP in 2009-10

50 %
The increase in BBMP's tax revenues following the introduction of GIS-based assessment system

How GIS works

The BBMP compared satellite images of properties to the existing list of assessed properties and found that while nine lakh properties were assessed and featured in property tax payers' list, six-lakh properties have not been assessed for years.