GMC Issues Notice to Over 200 Pvt Schools for Evading Property Tax

The Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has issued notices to over 200 private schools for evading property tax for a long time.

The notice has been served to the private educational institutions seeking explanation as to why they have failed to pay the property tax. The educational institutions have been given a 30-day deadline to respond to the notice.

GMC Commissioner Debasish Sharma said that the total evaded tax has been estimated to be around Rs. 7crore.

He also said that a few top institutions have dues to the tune of Rs. 50lakh to Rs. 1crore. However, after receiving the notice, one of the schools in Guwahati has responded to it and also paid 50% of the dues and said that the remaining amounts will be paid in installments.

In a similar exercise in October this year, the civic body had served notices to 66 private hospitals and nursing homes in the city, asking them to submit occupancy certificates.

The commissioner added that the aim behind serving notices is not to take any action immediately against the school authorities but to make them aware about paying property tax on time.

Several such steps have been taken to increase collections from the taxes to augment the revenue earnings of the urban body over last six months.

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