VIJAYAWADA: Urban Local Bodies in Andhra Pradesh have registered a strong start to the 2026-27 financial year by collecting over `1,010 crore in property tax revenues during April, driven by ‘aggressive technology-based assessments, digital payment systems and intensive monitoring” by officials.
According to official figures, ULBs collected `948.15 crore against the current property tax demand of `2,683.50 crore as of April 30, achieving 35.34 per cent of the annual current demand within the first month itself. Including arrears and penalty collections, the total collections touched `1,010.79 crore, compared to the `814.12 crore during the corresponding period last year, reflecting a growth of 24.16 per cent.
The performance was reviewed by principal secretary Suresh Kumar during a video conference with municipal commissioners. Officials discussed measures to sustain collection momentum, improve citizen facilitation and intensify recovery of pending dues.
The department attributed the growth to GIS-based property mapping, drone surveys, digital dashboards, app-based payments and identification of unassessed and under-assessed properties.
The current demand itself rose from `2,556.71 crore in 2025-26 to `2,683.50 crore this year due to expanded assessment coverage.
Among municipal corporations, Kakinada recorded the highest collection efficiency at 43.28 per cent, followed by Mangalagiri-Tadepalli at 41.21 per cent, Guntur 40.79 per cent and Rajahmundry 40.41 per cent. Vijayawada collected `85.98 crore, while Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) mobilised the highest amount at `230.10 crore.
Among municipalities, Addanki topped the list with 51.56 per cent collections, followed by Atmakur, Vuyyuru, Vinukonda and Kovvur.
Officials said digital reforms such as auto-mutation of urban properties significantly improved transparency and service delivery. Since its rollout, 13,938 mutation applications were received, generating over `12.70 crore in fees, while more than 12,000 auto-mutations were completed.
Urban development Minister Ponguru Narayana said improved property tax collections were vital for strengthening civic infrastructure including roads, sanitation, drainage, street lighting and drinking water supply. Technology-driven verification would ensure fairness by bringing all eligible properties into the tax net.
Suresh Kumar said the department would continue weekly reviews, targeted recovery of institutional arrears and technology-enabled assessments. The government would also explore blockchain technology to improve the integrity and security of municipal property records.
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