BBMP's cashless option for payment of property tax using debit or credit cards flops, as officials at collection centres claim they cannot use the machines
BBMP's cashless option for payment of property tax using debit or credit cards flops, as officials at collection centres claim they cannot use the machinesu00a0
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BBMP's cashless transaction initiative of tax collection through credit or debit cards at no extra charge has come under sharp criticism from taxpayers, as only a few officials know how to use swipe card machines. Also, many are livid at being unable to avail the 5 per cent rebate being offered by the BBMP, if taxes are paid through card before April 30.
A few, who attempted to pay using this option and came away unsuccessful, told this reporter that officials at BBMP's revenue collection centers barely knew how to operate the card-reading machines, despite receiving training.
N Srinivasan, a resident of Malleshwaram said, "I went to pay my tax last week, but officials at the collection centre could not operate the machine claiming that they were not trained."
He added that paying by card is convenient, but the 5 per cent rebate for paying before April 30 is lost.
"I returned without paying my tax and will try again next week. If this continues, we will miss the deadline to avail 5 per cent rebate," he said.
S Raju, a taxpayer, said when the new financial year began, the revenue collection centres did not even have card-reading machines. "Now, officials say that they can't operate the machines," he said.
Speaking to MiD DAY, Deputy Commissioner of BBMP (Revenue), I Ramakanth said, "Training was imparted to officials at revenue collection centres a month before the system was introduced. Officials from core areas like Malleshwaram were the first to be trained," he said.
Ramakanth assured that stringent action would be initiated against officials making such excuses and not accepting payment through cards.
"There are a total of 264 revenue collection centers across the city and 260 card reading machines have been provided by IDBI Bank, which will look after maintenance," he informed, adding that an order for another 60 card reading machines has been placed.
