Indian tax drummers to get encore

By Omer Farooq
BBC News, Hyderabad

An Indian city's scheme to have drums beaten outside the homes of tax defaulters until they pay up has yielded a skinful of revenue.

Authorities in the city of Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh state say the 20-day drive has recovered 75% of more than $1m in tax owed by citizens.

The drummers' success has now won them an encore - they will stick it to evaders twice a year from now on.

The scheme could also go on tour; other Indian cities have inquired about it.

Rajahumundry's campaign was wound up on Thursday and pronounced a success by TSR Anjenayalu, the commissioner of Rajahmundry Municipal Corporation.

Mixed response

In the first scheme of its kind, a troupe of 10 drummers was sent to the houses of the defaulters and beat loudly.

It is such an insulting situation to have drumbeaters doing this that it might force us to commit suicide Naani, tailor

Officials of the corporation accompanying the drummers would then persuade the defaulters to clear dues at the earliest.

Mr Anjenayalu said this year the corporation's tax collection had touched an all time high of 95%.

"I am very happy with this result and from now on we will take up this drum beating drive twice a year," he said.

"In September we will send the drum beaters to recover the half-yearly taxes and again in March for the remainder."

The campaign drew a mixed response from citizens.

Naani, a 35-year-old tailor, said: "It is a humiliation for poor people like me who are not in a position to pay the dues for financial reasons.

"Business is not good and we are not able to pay rent to the corporation for many months. It is such an insulting situation to have drumbeaters doing this that it might force us to commit suicide."

But there were others who supported the idea. Satyanarayana, a barber, said there was no other way to recover the taxes.

Mr Anjenayalu said poor people, including some shopkeepers, who had accumulated a lot of dues had been given more time to pay the taxes in instalments.