Nagpur, India: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is grappling with significant challenges in tax recovery, having collected only ₹113 crore of its ₹330 crore property tax target for the current financial year. The difficulties stem from the administration's preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, which began at the start of the fiscal year, followed by the Assembly elections.

In response to the election season, the government rolled out various schemes and assigned their implementation to the NMC. Consequently, the corporation's officers and employees have been heavily focused on executing these initiatives over the past four to five months. This shift in priority has negatively impacted the corporation's primary revenue source: property tax collection.

The NMC set an ambitious budget target of ₹330 crore for property tax, but it has only managed to collect ₹113 crore in the first half of the year. With just six months left, the corporation faces the formidable task of collecting an additional ₹217 crore.

In comparison to the previous year, the Tax Department recorded a collection of ₹116.25 crore from April 1, 2023, to September 30, 2023. This year, however, it has seen a decline, with collections amounting to ₹113.67 crore during the same period—an alarming decrease of about ₹2.50 crore.

The responsibility of implementing various government schemes since April has put considerable strain on the NMC's resources. The focus on these initiatives has hindered the recovery of property tax, making it increasingly difficult to provide essential services and address public complaints.

As the NMC continues to navigate these challenges, it will need to find a balance between fulfilling governmental obligations and ensuring effective tax collection to meet the needs of Nagpur's residents.