Punjab Government Issues Final Deadline Under OTS Scheme, Pay Property Tax Dues by August 31

Punjab News: The Punjab government has made it clear that the One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme will finally close on August 31, 2025, with no further extensions. This is the last window for citizens to clear their outstanding property tax dues without paying any penalty or interest. Officials have appealed that maximum people should benefit from this relief and avoid extra financial burden. Property tax remains the backbone of revenue for Punjab’s municipal bodies, as it funds essential services like sanitation, road repairs, waste management and healthcare. The scheme, launched on April 1, 2025, has already seen strong public participation, and the deadline has been extended twice before giving this final chance.

Since the implementation of the scheme, more than ₹250 crore has been collected so far. The government says that this has been possible due to the cooperation of the public. Now it is hoped that in the final phase more people will join it and strengthen the state's revenue.

The bulk of the outstanding balance is still

Out of about 1.8 lakh commercial and industrial properties in the state, 1.1 lakh still have tax dues. The total dues are about ₹580 crores. Out of this, ₹200 crores is due from the big properties of only 13 municipal corporations. Most of the burden is on 35,000 big and medium property owners. The government says that if this class comes forward, then the entire loss can be covered. With so much money, the municipal corporations will also be able to start their old stalled projects. This is the reason that this time the government is in no mood to give any relaxation.

Suvidha Kendra now open on weekends

To make things easier for the public, the government has announced to open all the Suvidha Kendras on Saturdays and Sundays as well. This arrangement will be implemented on 23-24 and 30-31 August. Its purpose is that no one faces any problem in paying taxes and everyone can pay the dues before the last date. By opening offices even on holidays, the crowd will be less distributed. Employees have been deployed separately so that there are no long queues. The government wants that no citizen should miss the opportunity in the last days.

Clear message of Punjab government

The Punjab government says that this step is not just for raising money but for the development of cities and the welfare of citizens. Tax collection will strengthen cleanliness, health services and infrastructure of cities. The government has appealed to every property owner to contribute to making Punjab more modern by paying the dues on time. Officials say that transparency will be maintained in tax collection. Only those who pay taxes on time will get real relief. This message is now being repeated continuously throughout the state.