Demonetisation & dues: Maharashtra civic bodies rake in Rs 63 cr in 2 days

The entire country was shocked when the Prime Minister Narednra Modi announced the demonetisation of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes. Though aimed at eliminating all the black money in the country, the move seems to have caught the common people on wrong foot, more than the black money hoarders.

While there is a mad rush to deposit old Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes in banks, people are also trying to dispose the notes off in every possible manner. And the most convenient way seems to make cash payment against civic dues and taxes.

Cash payments of taxes and utility bills have emerged as the easiest mode of disposing off the old currency notes as government departments are accepting them and the civic bodies across Maharashtra have proved to be the most fortunate.

All the civic bodies in Maharashtra have collected record breaking amounts as the defaulters queued up at payment counters with wads of cash to clear their dues.

"Since the old Rs 1000 and 500 notes have been rendered useless, those who have stashed huge amounts of black money are now paying the dues in cash. On Friday and Saturday, the civic bodies across Maharashtra have collected Rs 340 cr dues in taxes. This has never happened in the past," said a senior Urban Development Department official who did not wish to be named.

Of all the civic bodies, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) tops the list with collection of Rs 43.07 cr.

According to the information received from Chief Minister's officer (CMO), people are making a beeline to all the municipal corporations, municipal councils in the state to pay their dues.

"This is a 'never before' situation. These dues are something which would not have been recovered that easily. Government would have to bear the cost of recovery had these dues been needed to be recovered forcefully. Now that huge cost is saved," said the official.

The Urban Development Department sources said that those paying the dues include big businessmen and also politicians. "In Mumbai, many corporators have voluntarily cleared civic dues to the tune of several crores in last five days," the official added.

According to the information from the CMO, here's how much money these civic bodies collected over 11 and 12 November.

MCGM

Total collection - Rs 43.07 crore

11 November - Rs 34.85 crore

12 November - Rs 8.22 crore

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC)

Total collection - Rs 17.16 crore

11 November - Rs 13.09 crore

12 November - Rs 3.17 crore

Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corportion (KDMC)

Total collection - Rs 22.44 crore

11 November - Rs 18.37 crore

12 November - Rs 4.07 crore

Mira Bhyandar Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 14.39 crore

11 November - Rs 6.35 crore

12 November - Rs 8.04 crore

Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 5.98 crore

11 November - Rs 4.46 crore

12 November - Rs 1.52 crore

Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 17.08 crore

11 November - Rs 12.90 crore

12 November - Rs 4.18 crore

Panvel Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 1.32 crore

11 November - Rs 0.85crore

12 November - Rs 0.47crore

The other civic bodies too saw a massive inflows of cash over two days to clear the dues:

Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)

Total collection - Rs 41.67 crore

Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC)

Total collection - Rs 15.82 crore

Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC)

Total collection - Rs 14.50 crore

Sangli Miraj Kupwad Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 5.92 crore

Kolhapur Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 3.42 crore

Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 4.06 crore

Nashik Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 11.07 crore

Dhule Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 5.40 crore

Jalgaon Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 5.07 crore

Malegaon Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 3.85 crore

Solapur Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 9.35 crore

Aurangabad Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 4.42 crore

Nanded Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 5.18 crore

Akola Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 1.65 crore

Amravati Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 4.46 crore

Nagpur Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 9.90 crore

Parbhani Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 0.24 crore

Chandrapur Municipal Corporation

Total collection - Rs 1.47 crore

The collective receipts at all the municipal councils in Maharashtra were Rs 62.95 crore.

While the decision to demonetise the high denomination currency notes, might be giving sleepless nights to black money hoarders, the government departments are raking in huge benefits from the voluntary payments of civic dues.

Edited by Jhinuk Sen