Source : The Hindu Date : 12.06.2009
Municipality building remains unused
Karthik Madhavan
| The tax collection centre is yet to become operational |
Better days ahead?: The building constructed by Kasipalayam Municipality to house a computerised tax collection centre.
ERODE: In Shastry Nagar, coming under Ward 5 of Kasipalayam Municipality, stands a new, small building. Graffiti on the wall says it is the civic body’s computerised tax collection centre. But there is no sign of such activity. It is locked. An open window reveals that there are a couple of tube light fittings, few bricks and other construction material.
It has remained unused since the construction was over about four months ago, say the area residents. There is no power connection, either.
The municipality constructed the building at Rs. 2 lakh to establish a computerised tax collection centre to collect house and water taxes. It has established four such centres and will establish another one. Municipality Chairman M. Subramaniam says the civic body has constructed the centres in such a way that for every three wards there will be a collection centre.
Residents of the municipality can pay the aforementioned taxes at any of the five centres. To facilitate the process, it will set up computers in each of the collection centres and network them with a server at the municipality office.
Aside from the Rs. 10 lakh construction cost, the entire project will cost the civic body about Rs. 3 lakh. Majority of the funding has come from the State Government and the civic body has chipped in with the balance.
Once the collection centres are opened, they are expected to help 20,295 assesses and also the tax collectors. Tax collectors will stop going door-to-door for tax collection; the process will happen only at the centres, the Chairman explains.
He says the buildings do not remain unused. During the elections, the municipality had to stop the activity and now that the elections are over, the centres will be opened in another month’s time, he adds. As and when the facility is in place, it will be the first for a municipality in Erode district. Manoeuvre
