George directs officials to widen tax net

Addressing the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, corporators and BBMP officials he suggested officials increase the tax bracket by making use of technology. “The bills of Bescom and BWSSB must be verified with the property tax

payers to bring the escapists under the tax net. Besides, the officials must broaden their horizon on other revenue avenues like advertisement tax and trade license”, he said.

In reply, the BBMP commissioner G. Kumar Naik said that the BDA had already realised about Rs 62 crore against a target of Rs 102 crore for the present financial year from advertisements. George directed BBMP legal wing officials to strive hard and to fight for BBMP properties which are slipping out of its hands. He urged them to appear before the court to fight cases in favour of BBMP and directed authorities to update court related cases online.

Pointing out at the haphazard growth of the city he directed the BBMP Town Planning to work efficiently to ensure that the city grew in a planned manner. He directed them to curb unauthorised and unscientific growth and not to sanction plans that were detrimental to the growth of the city.

Also coming down heavily against OFC operators, he directed officials to cut unauthorised OFC network across the city and told them to keep a hawk’s eye on unnecessary and unauthorised road cutting by different civic agencies. Stressing on need to fill potholes on a war footing, he said that the officials should not wait for media reports to point out the potholes. If need be, the BBMP could have its own hot mix plants which would help the BBMP fill potholes effectively and efficiently, he suggested.