Chandigarh: The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has become a major tax defaulter owing Rs 12.57 crore as property tax to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.
With this, two premier institutes including PGI Chandigarh and Panjab University (PU) have become the top property tax defaulters for the financial year 2022-2023, reports TOI.
While Panjab University topped the list having Rs 23 crore as due, PGIMER is at the second position in the list as the premier medical institute has around Rs 12.57 crore due as property tax to the municipal corporation.
According to a list prepared by the civic body, other defaulters who make up the top five in the list include Chandigarh Golf Club (Rs 10 crore), Punjab Engineering College (Rs 2.45 crore), and Chandigarh railway station (Rs 2.35 crore). Collectively, these five defaulters owe more than Rs 50 crore to the civic body.
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As per the latest media report by the Times of India, even though the municipal corporation has issued notices to these establishments and properties, it could not achieve the desired success yet. While the civic body has taken up this issue of outstanding property tax with the administrator of the UT previously, Panjab University did not clear its dues referring to several reasons.
Sources informed the daily, “PU officials had held multiple meetings in the past with senior officers of MC on the issue, but no payments have been made so far. Details and data of existing buildings of PU were also re-checked for the satisfaction of the PU authority. After carrying out a survey, the MC had prepared the tax amount and issued notice earlier, but PU showed some slips and wanted to re-check the details and amount. Thereafter, MC reverified the amount.”
The daily further adds that among the top five defaulters, only Chandigarh Golf Club is under litigation. However, the rest of the authorities including PGIMER have not allegedly paid the outstanding amount, which increased gradually over the years. Sources informed the daily that a majority of tax dues are arrears of previous years.
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