JOIN USDouble trouble as citizens find increase steep, payment process complicated
Citizens have been in a twister of sorts ever since BBMP hiked the tax by 20 to 25% for residential and commercial properties.
As if this isn’t taxing enough, the Palike’s new mode of online payment and the need for property owners to visit Canara Bank branches has complicated matters. Here are some voices from the ground...
There are many who rue the process getting more complex than before.
The earlier system, they say, was far simpler since the payment could either be made online or directly at the BBMP revenue offices spread across Bengaluru. Here’s a resident of Vijayanagar, Krishnappa K, who tried paying tax online by logging onto http://bbmptax.karnataka.gov.in/ but faced glitches galore. He has this to say: “I was unable to enter the last digit in Self Assessment Scheme (SAS) app number column. I am stuck there and hence, unable to pay online.”
Sujatha A, a resident of HRBR Layout had a few queries related to property tax, specially related to the zonal classification of roads - zone, sub-division and ward wise based on which the tax rate has been fixed.
“I made a call to BBMP helpline number 080 22660000 on March 5 but all I get to hear is that the number is out of order. I do not know whom to approach and how I should go about paying tax online,” she laments.
Many citizens and representatives of resident welfare associations (RWAs) feel online is definitely the easier option. But they have a query: What about the uneducated sector and those who do not have access to the digital world? They might face difficulties. Sandeep Saha, a resident of Whitefield wonders, “I do not know whether the banks are a feasible option since the tax payers might be located far away and the timings of banks might clash with working professionals."
Secretary of the Hennur RWA, Muniraju N notes that the civic agency should have made a facility wherein all nationalised banks and not just Canara Bank branches could accept the tax payments.
But he has a larger question on the tax hike. Muniraju feels it is unfair on the Palike’s part to hike the tax by 20 to 25% in one go.
“Most of the people, especially those from the middle class and poorer sections will hesitate to pay such a hefty amount,” he says.
He himself used to pay the property tax in April every year. “But this year, I am wondering whether to pay or not. Already, the electricity and petrol charges have been hiked. Now, this is yet another blow to the common man,” observes the tax-payer. This view finds its echo across the City.