Desks at BBMP ward level to ease property tax payment

Unable to fix the software glitch in its online property tax collection system, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has decided to bring banks closer to taxpayers’ doorsteps.

The Palike has started collecting property taxes for the current financial year from April 1 and has offered a 5% tax rebate till April 30. It expects a huge collection in the first month of the new fiscal itself.

Fearing that the software snag and indifferent bank officials may hit its revenue targets, the Palike has decided to set up tax collection desks at the offices of assistant revenue officers at the ward level. Bank officers will be deputed at these desks to collect taxes.

Taxation and Finance Committee chairperson M K Gunashekar told DH he has spoken to bank officials in this regard. “We will meet bank officials in a day or two. I already had detailed discussions with the commissioner and the CAO about taking banks to taxpayers’ doorsteps,” said Gunashekar. Gunashekar said that in 2016, bank officials could not manage the huge crowds and at times behaved rudely with taxpayers. He said the Palike cannot afford to antagonise taxpayers, who provide revenues to the BBMP. “This is why we have now decided to set up desks where people can pay taxes without any hassles,” said Gunashekar.