The Hindu 07.10.2013
GVMC to introduce online tax payment system
Deputy Commissioner says it is likely to materialise by December
Fulfilling a long-pending demand, the GVMC will soon introduce online payment system for payment of property and water taxes.
Disclosing this at a meeting organised by Visakhapatnam Tax-Payers’ Association at Akkayyapalem on Sunday, Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) R. Somannarayana said IDBI Bank would take up the transactions and charge Rs.15 as service charge and for those with net banking Rs.5.
Besides, to make payment of taxes easy, branches of 18 banks would accept them and it could materialise by December.
Underground drainage
Replying to specific issues raised by the association, Mr. Somannarayana admitted that the underground drainage work had got delayed inordinately.
He said while some of the issues like commercial complexes, hospitals and prayer houses coming up in residential areas were intractable, some like allowing property tax concession to senior citizens were a matter of policy.
All the citizens should make use of the “Call Centre” facility on the toll-free phone which the Commissioner was monitoring for an hour everyday in the morning.
The GVMC had won an award for the grievance redress, he said.
Association president K. Bhavani Shankarudu said the association was formed to make collective representation on civic issues and worked on the issue of property tax hike.
As the city was growing it might not be possible to extend its services and redress civic grievances equally well and the association would strive to take them to the notice of officials.
Road repairs
Secretary O. Srinivas urged that repairs be taken up to all the roads that had developed craters and potholes, drains be covered , urinals be set up at all important junctions and road work between Kanakadurga temple and Sangam Office at Akkayyapalem be expedited.
Kanakamahalakshmi Service Society president Y. Venugopal and members of VTPA Vijayan, Haraprasada Rao and Kameswara Sarma were among those who spoke.
