THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Drowned in debts and unable to find money to save its grace, the City Corporation is all set to ask the State Government to help collect the dues pending to it in way of property tax from government offices. Mayor K Chandrika said that she would hand over an official communication to the Chief Minister asking him to include the dues in the 2011-12 Budget and transfer it to the Corporation. According to her, around Rs 80 crore is pending in the way of tax collection. According to the figures available with the Corporation, the Legislative Assembly has to pay Rs 19 crore as dues, Jalabhavan Rs 50 crore, other government offices a sum of Rs 1.8 crore and PWD buildings a total of Rs 28 lakh. The private offices and dues from the public would amount to Rs 20 crore.The State Government, by way of pension to Corporation employees, has to pay Rs 3,43,50,000 which has also been demanded by the Corporation now. Ever since the new Council took charge in November, the Mayor and her team have been sorting out ways to increase tax collection. While staff shortage, especially of bill collectors, was cited as one reason for large amounts of tax money remaining pending, later the Council realised the issue was beyond that. For years, the assessment of buildings has not been properly done. Especially, those of prominent government buildings like the Jala Bhavan, Legislative Assembly Complex and Secretariat. "There are several government offices which owe us large amounts. It has crossed Rs 71 crore. I have prepared the letter, which will be handed over to the Chief Minister on Wednesday,’’ Chandrika said.According to sources, the previous Council had played an insensible game when it deviated funds to complete pending projects before the local body elections in October. Towards the end of August and September last year, the Corporation was in an inauguration spree, opening parks and restoring ponds, launching new projects and getting the incomplete works done. Like the renovation of Putharikandam Maidan, which had usurped a huge amount. The new Council, with a thin purse, has been struggling to find money for projects. But the latest crisis, of contractors calling off the road works as the Corporation owes more than Rs 50 crore to them, has forced the Council to take immediate action. It is in this context that the Mayor has decided to seek government help. "There are several private offices and buildings which have to pay property tax. But the bill collectors have been found slow-pedalling when it comes to bigwigs,’’ said an official of the Corporation. Now that the Corporation has found itself in deep financial crisis, it has asked its Town Planning officials to intensify tax collection.
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