The Hindu       01.09.2016 

Corporation to develop app for basic services

Coimbatore Corporation will soon extend its services through mobile phone as well.

According to officials, the civic body is preparing a mobile application to help members of the public report grievances, complaints, access birth and death certificates and pay property tax and water charges.

The app, which would be available in both iOS and Android platforms was at present at the development stage.

The beta launch could be around mid-September and the final launch 15 days thereafter.

If residents were to report grievances or complaints, they would have the option of uploading pictures as well.

Plus, there would be alerts as well – disruption in water supply, tax payment reminders, etc. – the essential feature of apps.

The sources said that one of the important issues the developers faced was in giving users more choice of banks to pay property tax or water charges.

They were contemplating using a payment gateway, which would help optimise network usage.

Senior officials said that the Corporation also planned to develop and launch apps for Smart Cities project and a few other initiatives like Social Capital.

At present, the Corporation lets users pay taxes online using its web portal.

The Hindu         01.09.2016 

Vendors block Corporation’s bid to take over shops

Officials of Dindigul Corporation could not take possession of the shops owned by the civic body after expiry of their lease period owing to vociferous protests by vegetable vendors in Begampur here on Wednesday.

The vendors entered into heated arguments with the Corporation officials when they tried to take possession of the shops.

The officials said the lease period of the previous vendors expired seven months ago.

The Corporation conducted an open auction and leased all the seven shops to new vendors, who remitted 10 months’ rent in advance.

But the old lessees did not allow the officials to take over the shops, they said.