Operational glitches mars property tax payment 
Bangalore, April 20: The property tax payment in the city has become difficult for the public due to operational glitches in the tax collection centers.
Bangalore One,the citizen service center that collects taxes and helps the citizens in paying various bills, is unable to collect the property tax due to the problems in the up gradation of the software for the new financial year.
“Customers have been calling us every day, but we are not able to collect the property tax as the software is being fully upgraded,” said Danalakshmi, Manager in one of the Bangalore One center in the city.
There are 46 Bangalore One centers in the city and none of these centers have been able to collect the taxes, she said.
The Karnataka state government announced a five per cent rebate to people who pay the taxes by April 30, 2010. Since the centers are unable to collect the taxes, people in the southern Indian city would be no be able to get any benefits from this rebate.
But, Ram Mohan, Project Manager, Bangalore One said that the centers will be collecting the taxes soon. “There was no technical problem, but there were some changes for this financial year that had to be incorporated,” he said.
He attributed this delay to the recently held corporation elections.
On the other hand, house owners who were willing to pay property Tax before April 30, 2010 had to face another problem because the corporation helps centers, which collects tax is having technical problems in some areas of city.
Rajagopalchar R a resident of Girinagar, said “The corporation did not give me the official receipt, instead they gave me acknowledgement for having received application and cheque and informed me to come after eight days to collect original receipt. How many times we need to take time out to visit theses offices even when we are so often busy in our work.”
Ravi Kumar, the in charge of collecting Tax in one of the corporation help centers, said, “Due to technical problems, we are not able to access online service. Hence, the house owners can get acknowledgement in return and not the official bill.”
However, there will not be any extension of deadline for getting the tax rebates. Chandreshekar, the deputy Commissioner for Revenue in the city corporation said that the problems were due to the disconnected internet lines. “For the past three days we are re-connecting and repairing all technical problems. Almost all 130 BBMP centres will now be able to collect the property tax and give official bill,” he said.
Vyshak Kulkarni, a resident of Banashankari, said, “E-service has been adopted in order to reduce rush and to provide immediate service to the tax payers. But now, E- service has become time a consuming one for the public. New initiatives by the government should help the public and not cause inconvenience.”
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