Tax dues from govt agencies hold back civic body

HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, faced with a funds shortage, is carrying out a fine balancing act to pay staff salaries and take up infrastructure works, even as Central and state government agencies, besides individual taxpayers, owe Rs 8,000 crore in property taxes. Many dues have not been cleared for years, with the civic body stating that it was to receive Rs 5,258 crore from government buildings last year, with the Khairatabad zone alone accounting for Rs 2,000 crore of the due. “If we collect Rs 8,000 crore, apart from the annual property tax collection, the corporation could be debt-free and could save about Rs 2 crore per day, as the corporation is paying interest for loans taken for the several completed and ongoing infrastructure works, apart from paying our salaries on time,” a senior GHMC official said on the condition of anonymity. Who owes what: Government departments have piled up property tax dues for nearly a quarter century Medical: Rs 1,185 crore, pending for 23 years Police: Rs 420 crore Prohibition and Excise: Rs 895 crore, pending for 21 years Education: Rs 385 crore, pending for 16 years Other government buildings: Rs 5,258.4 crore 30 public undertaking buildings, including HMDA, HMWS&SB, Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited, TSRTC, Transco, and Zoo Park: Rs 306.28 crore, pending for seven years