The BBMP has decided not to extend the 5% tax rebate to property tax payers beyond April, as it did last year.
This means tax payers will not get the concession from Monday onwards. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has cited the model code of conduct in place for the Assembly elections as the reason.
BBMP sources said they wrote to the state government seeking its approval for an extension of the tax rebate. Since their request did not get a response, officials decided to collect the tax in full without the discount.
Whether the new government, which will take office in May, will extend the tax rebate remains to be seen.
In its recent budget, the civic body has set Rs 4,790 crore as the target for property tax collection and other cesses. Last year, it collected over Rs 3,332 crore from property tax, a record. A lion’s share of that tax came from Mahadevapura and the East zones of the BBMP.