The Hindu 26.06.2013
Soon, pay property tax at your bank
No standing in serpentine queues. No filling up lengthy forms. No bureaucratic hassles. Soon, paying property tax may become simple. At least that is the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) plan.
BBMP Commissioner M. Lakshminarayan, on Tuesday, said the civic body was already in talks with “a half dozen” banks to allow people to pay property tax at the banks, which will later be transferred to the civic body. “Many citizens pay their utility bills in these banks. The BBMP will also have a similar arrangement. This way, citizens need not go to any help centre or BBMP office to pay property tax.”
The BBMP has an online tax payment facility. “This system will be further strengthened. The software is being simplified. A circular will be issued directing citizens to pay property tax only through demand drafts or pay orders and not through cheques.”
Mr. Lakshminarayan said the 280 help centres, where citizens were paying property tax, would be closed and the staff deputed to work in the BBMP’s offices. This decision was taken following irregularities reported at a help centre in Herohalli sub-division under Rajarajeshwarinagar zone, where three tax inspectors reportedly misappropriated funds collected as tax.
He said the help centres were established when online payment system was “not that vibrant.” “However, times have changed. We will depute the help centre staff in the 198 ward offices. This will help make them more visible,” he added.
He said that henceforth only BBMP’s permanent staff would be deployed for property tax collection work.
