Patna: Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) collected Rs 51.76 crore in property tax from April 1 to July 22 this year, registering a 13.9% increase over the Rs 45.43 crore collected during the same period last year, officials said on Thursday.The civic body attributed the rise to sustained public outreach and awareness campaigns aimed to encourage timely payments. Officials said PMC has been contacting property owners daily by telephone and using other platforms to spread awareness about meeting tax deadlines.Between July 1 and July 22, PMC collected Rs 3.61 crore from 9,634 property owners, compared with Rs 2.89 crore from 9,431 property owners in the corresponding period last year.PMC has reminded property owners that penalties will apply to payments made after October 1. Under the Bihar Municipal Property Tax Rules, an additional charge of 1.5% per month will be levied on the outstanding principal amount after the deadline and will continue to accrue monthly until dues are cleared.Officials appealed to property owners to pay their taxes within the stipulated deadline through online or offline modes to avoid additional financial liability, adding that timely collections support the development of urban infrastructure and public services.
