Notices Issued to 3.75 Lakh Property Tax Defaulters

Fast Summary

• BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) collected ₹4,930 crore in property tax for 2024-25, marking a 25% increase compared to the previous year due to the One Time settlement (OTS) scheme.
• Notices will be sent to 3.75 lakh property owners who are defaulters, with tax arrears totaling ₹700 crore – ₹800 crore.
• Defaulters will receive notices via SMS or email; those who have already paid can ignore the messages.
• As of January 2025, 2.06 lakh property owners defaulted with arrears amounting to ₹329.15 crore.
• BBMP attached over 81,000 properties during FY 2024-25 and listed hundreds of them for auction in February 2025.

Indian Opinion Analysis

BBMP’s enhanced property tax collection in FY 2024-25 showcases a notable improvement in civic revenue through initiatives such as the OTS scheme while also highlighting challenges posed by significant defaults from taxpayers despite available settlement options. The planned recovery measures reflect an assertive administrative approach aiming to resolve longstanding arrears worth hundreds of crores. however, attaching and auctioning private properties raises critical concerns about balancing financial enforcement with public sentiment.

Given Bengaluru’s expanding urban infrastructure needs and reliance on civic revenues like property taxes, addressing defaulters is essential but must be handled cautiously to ensure sustainability without disproportionately impacting livelihoods or local businesses that might own these properties.

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