The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has achieved a historic financial milestone, collecting a record sum in property tax and solid waste management charges for the current fiscal year. Between April 1 and December 29, the civic body successfully gathered more than Rs 63 crore, showcasing a significant boost in revenue collection efficiency.
Digital Payments Drive Record Collection
Officials attributed this remarkable performance across all municipal circles to the strength and transparency of the ongoing tax collection drive for 2025-26. Data reveals a clear shift towards digital adoption. Offline collections accounted for approximately Rs 29 crore, while online payments surged to around Rs 33 crore, indicating a dominant digital trend.
Municipal Commissioner Yashpal Meena stated that payments were received from a total of 1,77,503 holdings. Out of these, a substantial 1,04,847 holdings opted for the online mode. "The dominance of online payments highlights the growing confidence and awareness among citizens regarding digital transactions," Meena said on Tuesday.
Circle-Wise Performance and OTS Success
The revenue drive saw particularly strong performances in the Patliputra, New Capital, and Bankipur municipal circles. The Azimabad, Kankarbagh, and Patna City circles also recorded consistent and satisfactory growth in holding tax payments. Revenue from solid waste management charges met expected targets across all six circles.
A major contributor to this success was the One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme, launched to clear pending property tax arrears. In just a 20-day window from December 9 to December 29, the scheme generated over Rs 5.92 crore from 16,220 holdings. This included online payments from 9,267 holdings.
"Broader collections under the scheme for property tax included Rs 31 crore offline and Rs 27 crore online. By facilitating the resolution of long-pending dues and bolstering financial resources, the OTS scheme emerged as a key success," Commissioner Meena explained.
Opportunity for Property Owners and Future Call
The civic body has reminded property owners that the OTS scheme, which offers a full waiver of interest and penalties upon a one-time principal payment, remains valid until March 31, 2026. This provides a significant incentive for clearing old dues.
PMC officials have urged citizens to continue paying their property tax and solid waste management charges promptly in the remaining months of the financial year 2025-26. This record collection is seen as a testament to improved civic administration and growing public cooperation in Patna's development journey.
