Rajnandgaon (BTI)- Wasting no time after assuming office, Mayor Madhusudan Yadav has launched an aggressive push to bolster municipal revenue and ensure efficient civic services in Rajnandgaon. In a high-level review meeting today, the Mayor placed a strong emphasis on maximizing revenue collection by the end of the financial year while also appealing to citizens to clear their pending dues.
The review session, attended by Municipal Commissioner Atul Vishwakarma and Corporation President Topendra Singh Paras Verma, focused on ramping up property tax, consolidated tax, and commercial rent collections. Commissioner Vishwakarma informed that out of a total demand of ₹24.5 crore for the fiscal year, ₹16 crore has been collected so far. He highlighted initiatives like door-to-door property measurements and self-assessment submissions, which have helped increase demand this year. QR-code based payments are also facilitating easier collections from taxpayers.
Mayor Yadav stressed that revenue is the backbone of the Municipal Corporation, supporting salaries and critical infrastructure expenses. “With limited time left in the fiscal year, all teams must intensify their efforts to meet collection targets,” he asserted. He directed the formation of special teams to focus on defaulters with arrears exceeding ₹10,000, mandating door-to-door recovery drives even on weekends and public holidays. Specific instructions were also given to target collections in both government and private colonies.
Officials shared challenges faced in recovering dues from major defaulters, particularly in rural wards, to which the Mayor responded with a firm directive: “No laxity will be tolerated. All officers must take personal responsibility to ensure maximum collections.”
The Mayor also ordered the initiation of lease agreements for shops currently operating without contracts and emphasized collection of outstanding premiums. Assistant revenue officers and inspectors were tasked with daily progress reviews and field-level supervision to boost recovery.
In a parallel meeting with officials from the Water Resources Department, Municipal Corporation, and AMRUT Mission, Mayor Yadav also focused on formulating a comprehensive action plan to tackle water supply issues during the impending summer heat. He expressed concern over the declining water levels at Mohara Shivnath River, calling for coordinated action to ensure uninterrupted potable water supply to residents.
To boost storage in the Mohara anicut, the Mayor ordered enforcement actions against pump operators obstructing rural anicut storage and instructed Water Resources officials to increase storage at Ratapaily and Mokhli anicuts. Further, he assessed the water reserves at Mogra and Matia-Moti reservoirs, with directives to strategically release water to sustain city supply through peak summer months.
Additional measures included installing an extra hydrant at Mohara to expedite tanker filling, submitting proposals under the “Water Scarcity Fund” for hand pump repairs and pipeline extensions, and conducting pre-monsoon desilting of sumps and anicut gates to enhance water storage capacity.
Commissioner Vishwakarma echoed the Mayor’s sentiments, urging all departments to strengthen systems and promptly resolve public grievances related to water supply. The meeting concluded with a resolve to work in unison, ensuring Rajnandgaon citizens receive both reliable civic services and steady potable water amid rising summer temperatures.
