Tax arrears across 465 village panchayats in Ahmedabad district have crossed ₹200 crore, prompting notices to around 300 Talati-cum-Mantris and final notices to 27 officials, according to a report by Sandesh. The district administration is now considering action against Taluka Development Officers over the slow recovery of local taxes.
The notices were issued to officials responsible for revenue collection in the village panchayats. Sandesh reported that 27 Talatis who allegedly did not respond adequately to earlier notices have been served final notices. The report did not specify the deadlines mentioned in the notices or the individual amounts pending in each panchayat.
The arrears have accumulated across 465 villages in nine talukas of Ahmedabad district. The report said that tax collection has remained weak even as new construction has increased across the villages. Panchayats undertake annual assessments and are also expected to account for new buildings while determining property-related tax demand.
Local leaders cited by Sandesh have alleged irregularities in the assessment of properties and the recording of new construction. They claimed that if village taxes were assessed transparently, the annual demand could exceed ₹100 crore. However, the reported demand has remained around ₹100 crore for some time despite the addition of new buildings across the district.
These allegations have not been independently established in the supplied report. The collection figures, however, indicate a substantial gap between the tax demand and actual recovery. District Panchayat sources told Sandesh that only about 20 per cent of the current year’s taxes had been collected so far, with recovery expected to reach only about 50 per cent by the end of the year.
The issue places attention on the financial capacity of village panchayats, which depend on local revenues alongside grants and other government support. Rising arrears can restrict the ability of local bodies to maintain basic services and respond to growing demands from expanding settlements. The report said grants to various committees have continued to increase even as tax arrears rise, highlighting the importance of effective revenue administration at the local level.
The report also said elected representatives of the district panchayat should support tax collection, but alleged that members have shown limited interest in the matter. This claim was presented as part of the report’s account of administrative and political involvement in revenue recovery and was not accompanied by responses from the representatives concerned.
District Panchayat officials have indicated that the next phase of action may involve notices to the concerned Taluka Development Officers, seeking explanations for the poor recovery. Sandesh reported that the District Development Officer has expressed displeasure and that departmental inquiries or disciplinary action against officials could follow. The immediate administrative steps are the proposed notices to the TDOs and the completion of the current year’s collection process.
