The Government of Punjab has urged all property owners to use the final opportunity under the One-Time Settlement (OTS) Scheme, which allows payment of pending property tax without any penalty or interest until August 31, 2025.
What the OTS Scheme Offers
Property tax is a key source of revenue for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), helping them provide essential services such as sanitation, public health, waste management, and infrastructure development. To ease taxpayers and boost civic revenue, the state government launched the OTS Scheme on April 1, 2025. The window was extended twice to allow maximum participation. So far, the scheme has collected over ₹250 crore.
Pending Dues and Enforcement
Despite good collections, many dues remain, especially from medium and large commercial and industrial properties. To ensure fairness for those who have already paid, the government has confirmed that the OTS window will not be extended beyond August 31. From September 1, 2025, ULBs will begin enforcement actions against defaulters. Officials stated that out of 1.8 lakh commercial and industrial properties, 1.1 lakh are still in default. A majority of the dues—around ₹580 crore—are owed by 35,000 medium and large property owners, with nearly ₹200 crore pending from large properties in 13 municipal corporations.
Extended Timings at Suvidha Kendras
To make it easier for citizens, all Suvidha Kendras in Punjab will remain open on weekends (August 23–24 and 30–31), in addition to regular working days. This will help property owners submit payments in time and avoid enforcement actions.
Government’s Message to Citizens
A government spokesperson said, “The state has given ample opportunity over the last four months for property owners to clear their dues without penalty. We urge everyone to take advantage of this final chance before enforcement actions begin. The Punjab government emphasized that this initiative is not only about revenue collection but also about improving urban services and city development. Citizens are encouraged to clear their pending dues before the deadline to strengthen civic infrastructure and ensure better services for all.
