The Hindu 07.10.2013
Metrowater to be part of common service centres
Metrowater proposes to open common service centres along with the Corporation and Tangedco.
At
present, the water agency collects water and sewerage taxes and water
charges at its head office in Chintadripet, in 15 area offices and 200
depot offices.
A Metrowater official said they were
discussing the possibilities of setting up a common facility in each
zone where consumers could pay all taxes and charges, including those
payable to the Corporation and Metrowater. There are also plans to rope
in Tangedco’s electricity bill counters.
Discussions
are on to identify locations, type of network and infrastructure to set
up the common facility. The respective departments will utilise the
services of their staff members at the centres. However, the water
agency will continue to collect taxes and charges from the existing
counters in its offices. There are nearly 7.35 lakh consumers of the
water agency, including the added areas.
The urban
common service centres were proposed for city residents to cover a range
of services such as applying for a passport, a new telephone connection
and pay electricity bills.
The Chennai Corporation
has intensified its search for more agencies for setting up the urban
common service centres that will provide a one-stop solution to civic
services.
The centres were proposed to be run by
private agencies identified by the Corporation and facilitate easy
access to services of all government departments. The Chennai
Corporation commenced talks with Central government agencies and State
government agencies a few weeks ago to commission such centres under the
public-private-partnership mode.
Urban common service centres were proposed so residents could cover a range of services.