Tax authorities in southern India have found a new way to handle tax evaders: sending teams of traditional drummers to pound away noisily outside their homes or shops until they pay up.
Tax officials in Andhra Pradesh state’s Rajahmundry city said on Thursday they have recovered three-quarters of the 50-million rupees ($1,2-million) owed by people there after sending drummers to the doors of tax cheats.
The sense of shame evoked by the racket is enough to make most people come out and pay, said TSR Anjenayalu, a Rajahmundry administrative official.
”The drive has been such a great success that we have had several inquiries from other cities and towns about it,” Anjenayalu said.
This year’s tax collection in Rajahmundry has hit an all-time high, with nearly 95% collected, he said.
Rajahmundry, with 450 000 people, is about 500km east of the state capital, Hyderabad.
The city has hired 10 drummers for the collection drive. — Sapa-AP