A cash-strapped BBMP has ordered a survey to reassess buildings in tech and business parks for property tax. BBMP commissioner M K Shankarlinge Gowda issued a note regarding this after corporators, during a recent council meeting, expressed concern that building owners in various tech and business parks had not revealed information regarding the actual built-up areas.
As per the note, additional director (town planning) has to identify all tech and business parks in BBMP limits and get a prominent private surveyor to assess the built-up areas in these parks for property tax. Subsequently he will have to submit the information to the deputy commissioner (tax) to check whether the findings match the declarations.
The deputy commissioner (tax) has been asked to recover tax dues, if any, from errant IT firms identified by the survey.
“We are still in the process of choosing the private surveyor. That IT companies are evading tax is still a speculation. It might not be true in case of all IT companies functioning in BBMP limits. Some companies might have given us false assessment. We will look into it,” said IA Ramakanth, joint commissioner (revenue).
Tax-violating IT companies could be in all zones, particularly in Mahadevapura and Bommanahalli where tech parks are more in number, he added.
NUMBERS SAY IT ALL Yediyur corporator N R Ramesh alleged that under-assessment of land used by IT companies had caused a loss of Rs 700 crore so far.
“Under the self assessment scheme, IT companies have paid property tax for 69 lakh sq feet of built up area, whereas market research surveys put the actual occupancy at over 3.5 crore sq feet. BBMP revenue records say there are only 13 IT parks in the Palike limits and they pay Rs 60.97 crore as property tax. But in reality, there are 22 of such IT hubs and business parks. The BBMP has issued 130 building plans and 89 of them have been given occupancy certificates to carry out their activities,” he explained.
He suggested that the BBMP use electronic total station (ETS) equipment to figure out land usage by IT companies and business parks through scientific and electronic measurement.
As per the note, additional director (town planning) has to identify all tech and business parks in BBMP limits and get a prominent private surveyor to assess the built-up areas in these parks for property tax. Subsequently he will have to submit the information to the deputy commissioner (tax) to check whether the findings match the declarations.
The deputy commissioner (tax) has been asked to recover tax dues, if any, from errant IT firms identified by the survey.
“We are still in the process of choosing the private surveyor. That IT companies are evading tax is still a speculation. It might not be true in case of all IT companies functioning in BBMP limits. Some companies might have given us false assessment. We will look into it,” said IA Ramakanth, joint commissioner (revenue).
Tax-violating IT companies could be in all zones, particularly in Mahadevapura and Bommanahalli where tech parks are more in number, he added.
NUMBERS SAY IT ALL Yediyur corporator N R Ramesh alleged that under-assessment of land used by IT companies had caused a loss of Rs 700 crore so far.
“Under the self assessment scheme, IT companies have paid property tax for 69 lakh sq feet of built up area, whereas market research surveys put the actual occupancy at over 3.5 crore sq feet. BBMP revenue records say there are only 13 IT parks in the Palike limits and they pay Rs 60.97 crore as property tax. But in reality, there are 22 of such IT hubs and business parks. The BBMP has issued 130 building plans and 89 of them have been given occupancy certificates to carry out their activities,” he explained.
He suggested that the BBMP use electronic total station (ETS) equipment to figure out land usage by IT companies and business parks through scientific and electronic measurement.
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