Yahya Hallare

Daijiworld Media Network - Bhatkal (SP)

Bhatkal, Mar 10: The state and central government have been keen on collecting tax dues from businesses and people alike to maximize revenue for implementation of various schemes and projects. For demanding tax due from the defaulters, it is but natural for one to expect proper maintenance of records and accounts. However, strangely it has transpired that the municipality here has failed to keep proper accounts for the taxes remitted by the people!

It has come to light that taxes paid by the people since the last three to four years have not been entered in the books of the municipality. When people visit the municipal office to check the tax remittances they had made and the amount due if any from them, the staff remain clueless. The office does not have figure about the number of tax payers in the town, how many have paid, and how much amount of tax from how many people is pending.

Those who have already paid their taxes up to date,and who verified their accounts with the municipality were dismayed to find that as per records, they have not paid any amount since 2013. There are many cases in which the officials have told the people that they are defaulters having not paid their taxes, and they fell silent after the tax paid receipts were produced. There is likelihood of some innocents having paid excess amount blindly as demanded by municipal officials, whereas some others might have taken advantage of the hazy situation to escape from payment of taxes.

Even petty shops maintain accounts now-a-days as financial discipline is felt necessary. When the municipal officials are approached and questioned about non-maintenance of accounts, they point towards scarcity of staff. There are allegations that the municipality also does not have control over payment of water bill.

When approached, municipal president, Sadiq Matta, said that as soon as the faulty maintenance of accounts came to his notice, he had summoned the officials and asked them to update the accounts. He said that the task of accounting for the tax collection during previous years is in progress. He, at the same time, advised the people to keep receipts pertaining to tax payments safely so that they will not be compelled on a future date to pay the same taxes again.