Kolkata: The state govt has introduced property tax waiver schemes for six municipal corporations across the state. These waiver schemes will remain effective till March 31.Following approval of the state cabinet, state urban development & municipal affairs (UD&MA) department has introduced West Bengal Municipal Corporation Incentive scheme 2026 for six municipal corporations in the state, including Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC).These schemes will help property tax defaulters clear pending dues with up to 100% waiver on accumulated interest and penalties on long-pending arrears.The schemes offer a 10% rebate on the principal pending property tax only for residential buildings. These apply to all types of properties—whether residential, commercial (non-residential), or mixed-use (both residential and commercial). The authorities have issued a separate notification for Howrah as ‘Howrah Municipal Corporation incentive (Waiver of Interest & Penalty to the Property Tax Payers) Scheme 2026’. The HMC had earlier submitted a proposal for introduction of a scheme that would enable the tax payers liable to pay outstanding arrear property tax with a relief in interest and penalty accrued on it.Govt officials said UD&MA department has been receiving proposals from the municipal corporations for introduction of such waiver schemes.It is also believed that such relief to the tax payers would lead to enhanced revenue generation in the civic bodies to a great extent through recovery of arrears. This comes at a time when the civic polls are scheduled to start from Dec.The scheme will help property owners, occupiers, or anybody responsible for paying property tax in these municipal corporations of Bidhannagar, Howrah, Chandernagore, Durgapur, Asansol, and Siliguri by allowing taxpayers to clear unpaid property tax bills issued on or before March 31, 2026. “Giving waivers on property tax dues can benefit both the civic bodies and the taxpayers. Whereas the civic bodies can recover a large amount of property tax dues, the defaulting taxpayers can settle their arrear tax dues at a concessional rate,” officials said. Officials said as for Kolkata Municipal Corporation, there is no need for UD&MA department to issue notification as KMC is empowered to give tax waivers on its own, as per KMC Act. KMC and HMC elections are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.
