The cash strapped city corporation plans to launch an extensive drive to take hold of its properties which have been “lost” or illegally taken over by individuals.
The civic authority, hit by a cut in the annual maintenance grant, said that as part of its efforts to plug revenue losses it would initiate steps soon to take stock of its assets and regularise rent and lease agreements.
“Following the cut in various government funds, the corporation faces an unprecedented financial crisis. We’ve to identify additional revenue sources and plug revenue losses. The corporation’s properties have to be restored which will help in boosting revenue,” said sources at the town planning department.
The corporation lacks a proper asset register with details of land, buildings and other movable and immovable properties.
As per a 2006 government order, all municipal corporations should keep a proper register with details of assets and liabilities.
“Though an asset register has been prepared it is not comprehensive and excludes details of several unknown properties. The corporation will collect the data of properties from sub registrar offices through RTI applications and an updated asset register will be prepared,” added the sources.
The majority of rented shops and leased land has been alienated and there were no proper documents to prove ownership.
As per its recent budget, several properties and assets of the civic body had been encroached on by individuals and no significant steps were initiated
in the past for their recovery.
During the budget speech deputy mayor B. Bhadra, who is chairperson of the Finance Standing Committee stated that a special squad would be formed including legal advisors for the realisation of the civic body’s assets.
Though many buildings were given on rent, rent was not paid or the properties returned in case of some properties which were given on long term leases.
Meanwhile, the recent corporation council meeting witnessed unruly scenes when the Congress councillor Leno Jacob alleged that the Left trade union CITU had encroached on the corporation’s property near Marine Drive.
Both ruling and opposition councillors remarked that the corporation’s lost properties had to be restored.