Online property tax payment yet to be streamlined in Mysuru

Online payment of property tax, in Mysuru, is still a distant dream. The proposal is over a decade-old and the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) had made an announcement in this regard in 2010 itself.

However, the officials claim that 90% of the system is online. “Online payment is not possible only in Saraswathipuram, Vijayanagar 3rd Stage and in some apartments,” they claim.

The recent announcement was to start the online payment process on April 1. However, citizens are complaining that they are not able to make online payment of their property tax, even at this testing time of the Covid crisis. They are forced to come out, while the the Covid protocol stresses on staying at home.

K S Parthasarathy, a resident of 20th Main, B Block, 3rd Stage, Vijayanagar, Mysuru, said, “The MCC announced that we can now pay house tax online. But, when I tried, it is not working. Even smaller cities like Tumakuru and Shivamogga have good arrangement to pay house tax online. Why cannot Mysuru make a similar arrangement?” he asked.

Over the past 11 years, several officials of the MCC, including commissioners, have got publicity making announcements about the online payment of property and other taxes. But, the announcements have not become reality, leaving the citizens, mainly property owners, disappointed. An advance announcement was made in December 2020, that the online payment of taxes would become a reality under ‘One corporation one number system’ from April 1, 2021. It was announced that the owners of properties, under the MCC limits, can pay the taxes in a simpler way, by just scanning the QR code provided to their respective property, for the financial year 2021-22.

The MCC claimed to have come out with a unique concept ‘One Corporation One Number’ system. “To make the online mode of payment more simpler and effective, the authorities will conduct a survey and geo-stamping. The exercise, launched on December 21, 2020, is the first of its kind the country,” officials claimed.

“The officials will survey the properties and initiate geo-stamping method, by taking photos of the buildings on all three sides and provide a QR code sticker for each property. In future, the property owners, can scan the QR code and know the details about property tax payment and all other information in connection with the MCC. This will help the people to know complete details about their property from the comforts of their houses. There will not be any need to visit the offices,” the officials claim.

The MCC commissioner has appealed to the people to cooperate with the officials and Revenue Inspectors when they visit their houses or properties for the survey and provide all complete details, and also allow them to take pictures of their property.

Ranjith Kumar, Assistant Commissioner, Zone 6, MCC, had said, ‘One Corporation One Number’, is a unique concept that is being experimented in Mysuru, for the first time.

“The area of the property, number of floors and its use would be surveyed and the three sides of the property would be photographed for geo-stamping. The QR code would be developed and pasted on the property. Each property would get a QR code. By scanning the code, it becomes easy for the property owners to pay their taxes, including property tax, water bills, trade licence, new orders and notifications issued by the MCC,” he had claimed.

The MCC commissioner was not available for a comment. Her personal secretary said that she was pre-occupied with Covid management work. The MCC Revenue Commissioner is on leave. Case worker for online payments Nagalakshmi claimed that the QR code work and other work related to online payment are pending as some of the staffers are on leave owing to illness, while those reporting to work are on Covid duty.

Nagalakshmi claimed that online payment is functional since April 1 and almost 90% of the problems have been solved since May 1. “The problem exists only in Saraswathipuram, Vijayanagar 3rd Stage and in some apartments,” she said.