Agartala, Sep 25, 2023, TRIPURA TIMES Desk

Agartala, Sep 25: To enhance the property taxing system and to maintain transparency in tax collection, the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) has launched the Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to make an assessment of properties, said Mayor Dipak Majumder on Monday.

Addressing a press conference here in the conference hall of the corporation office, Mayor said, “Under the new plan as recommended by the Centre, all the residential and commercial properties in the city are being mapped using GIS.”

The statement of the Mayor has come up after the opposition CPI-M and its Left front demanded the corporation to stay the decision of levying property tax until a proper assessment is made on the properties. The GIS mapping of properties will streamline the tax collection process. Tax details of each premises in the city will be available online, he added. 

The Mayor on Monday expressed his concern over the negligence of tax payers and said, “Around 70% of the people are not paying their property tax, while only 30% people have been paying their tax regularly.”

Taking this into notice, the AMC has decided to issue notice to the non-tax payers recently to complete their tax payment till 2023-24 FY and ensure 100% tax collection. “Earlier on our notice we asked the people to pay their tax by October 5, but on request of the Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, we have nor decided to extend another one month for the last date of paying taxes,” he told reporters.

He said, “The AMC has not hiked any tax so far and neither the budget of the corporation had proposed any hike in taxes, rather the corporation is working to collect tax from the people who are found to be negligent in paying taxes.”

On a separate note, the AMC Mayor said that the corporation has taken all measures to keep the city congestion-free following the upcoming Durga Puja festival. He said, “The AMC will soon start eviction drive against the shopkeepers and food stalls owner who have been occupying footpaths illegally.” He also said that from now onwards no food stalls will be allowed to remain open after 11 PM here at Agartala.

The AMC is also focused on illegal parking in the No parking Zones here at Agartala, he said, adding that it is to be ensured that no vehicles are parked in the No Parking Zones between the Agartala Post office Chowmuhni and Kaman Chowmuhni area.

“We are taking all measures to make the city congestion free following the Durga Puja festival. We have decided to cancel the trade and vendor license of the shopkeepers who are found to be occupying the footpaths illegally with their shop materials,” he added.