Mysore, Apr. 10 (KMC) - The MCC, in its bid to overcome tax evasions and make the process of paying property taxes people-friendly, will be launching the Web-enabled Property Tax System during end May.

MCC Commissioner K.S. Raikar told Star of Mysore that the novel system would facilitate online payment of taxes using credit or debit cards or through online banking.

Unlike the web-enabled tax paying system implemented in other major cities of the country where only taxes can be paid, the novel system to be implemented in city would provide all the details pertaining to the property of an individual and the amount of taxes to be paid will be electronically computed.

"Mysore will be the first city in the country in which a 12-digit unique identity number will be assigned for each property," Raikar said and added, "The new scheme will bring all the property owners in city under the taxation net and the tax base will be widened. Property records of more than two lakh properties in city have been digitised using the Survey of India's database and Geographical Information System (GIS) map."

In reply to a query over objections likely to be raised against the digitised system, Raikar said that the scheme will be implemented only after assimilating public opinions. "Objections and feedback from the citizens are invited by Apr. 20, after which the MCC will hold public discussions on the subject, before its official launch.

"Photographs of property owners will be uploaded along with the 12-digit unique identity numbers to make the database complete during the second phase of the scheme," Raikar said and added that the concept was expected to induce transparency in the property tax system and reduce tax-evasion.

"As part of the e-governance project, MCC's digitised property documents scheme has been encouraged by the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIAI) Chairman Nandan Nilekani and the Survey of India authorities," Raikar said and added that they would be invited as chief guests for the launch of the scheme slated to be held in end May.

"At present, about 50 per cent of property owners in city fall under the tax net," Raikar disclosed and added that once the digitised system came into effect, all property owners will be included in the net.

How it works

Software of the Web-Enabled System is programmed to calculate property taxes based on the Capital Value System. Up-to-the-minute updated records of property tax collection can be maintained by the MCC.

Citizens can pay their taxes online without having to visit MCC's offices. The tedious task of filling out of forms will also be eliminated as the calculation will be done automatically once the 12-digit property ID number is entered into the computer.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore