West Bengal property tax collections jump 168 percent

West Bengal officials reported a 168 percent increase in property tax collection across panchayat areas during the first seven months of the current financial year.

The state collected nearly Rs 118 crore in property taxes between April 1 and October 27. This amount represents an increase of approximately Rs 74 crore compared to the same period last year.

Officials attribute this growth to a new online property tax collection system implemented in panchayat areas, which also helped increase the number of taxpayers from 11.69 lakh to 28.94 lakh. The state also saw a 17 percent year-on-year increase in Goods and Service Tax (GST) collection in October, reaching Rs 6,055 crore. Officials say festive spending during Durga Puja boosted revenue in the food and hospitality sectors.

GST from hotels and restaurants during the festival reached around Rs 60 crore, which is 35 percent higher than the previous year. The government expects total property tax collections for the 2025-26 financial year to exceed last year's total of Rs 139.18 crore. While property tax collections also rose in 128 municipalities, the process is not yet fully online in all urban areas. Officials plan to move these municipal collections to a fully online system in the coming months.