City Corporation yet to collect pending taxes

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is not just the property tax that has mounted as dues in the City Corporation, pushing it into deeper financial crisis. The case of professional and advertisement taxes is also not soothing at all. While the Corporation is to receive Rs 83.76 lakh by way of professional tax, yet another Rs 2.38 lakh is pending as advertisement tax. In a reply to a Right to Information (RTI) application, the Revenue Department of the Corporation says that a total of  Rs 29.36 crore is pending as dues by the way of professional and ad tax (figures from the main office only, the zonal offices have similar amounts as dues). However, Corporation officials say the figures could be a bit exaggerated as the accounts books are yet to be put in order.  ‘’The government offices have to pay the professional tax or otherwise their salaries are affected. In the case of private institutions, there are more pending dues. Also, if a company is shut down, the professional tax pending would keep doubling with the mounting of arrears. Then it would show in the final figures pending to the Corporation,’’ said Deputy Mayor G Happykumar.  According to him, there is a concerted effort to collect professional tax and ad tax now.  ‘’We have intensified the collection of these taxes. And hope to clear the account books and arrive at the exact figures by the end of August,’’ he said.  The Corporation officials had clarified on Tuesday that government offices were to pay more than Rs 80 crore by way of property tax to the local body. In the case of ad tax, the Corporation had many times issued ultimatums and even removed flex boards and hoardings as the final step. Still, a lot of money is yet to fall into its pockets. Which is why, it has now started giving out holograms with the licence for putting up hoardings. By the end of July, the local body will start removing those ads displayed in city which do not possess the holograms.