At present, property tax collection at the Mysore City Corporation zonal offices is very disorganized. If you go to a typical zonal office, you will see about 100 people crowded at several tables, some to obtain SAS tax forms, others to get the forms filled at a cost of Rs.25, others to get the cash challan stamped and yet others to pay to the people hired by ING-Vysya bank to collect the tax. The whole scene is one of utter confusion among the public who have come to pay property tax. There are no clear notices as to procedures, and the desks at which officials are seated do not indicate who the official is (name and designation). The result is that the public mills around without any direction, asking questions which are not answered by MCC staff. The working hours of the ING-Vysya are much shorter than MCC hours and the ING-Vysya people close before their own stated working hours ignoring the plight of dozens of people, especially the elderly waiting to pay their tax. They are not very helpful and often rude. One of our members had to call the Revenue Officer of MCC to get them to work. The absence of order and procedure, clearly attributable to lack of organization and preparedness for the known annual rush for payment of property tax in April to avail of 5% rebate, is deplorable. Incidentally, the situation was identical last year when Axis bank did the tax collection.
Some of the zonal offices are in buildings which are not designed to hold so many people. If there is any emergency (fire, etc), exit is not easy with narrow stairs and corridors and there are sure to be casualties due to rushing or stampede. MCC will be wholly responsible for casualties following any such mishaps.
Clearly, the tax collection system needs to be made simpler and more people-friendly. First of all, since the Revenue Officer of MCC has instructed to AROs to accept all Self Assessment Forms without raising objections (letter No.HAPR.1/08-09 dated 9-4-09), tax payers with filled forms need to get the cash challan stamped by any official before the payment is accepted. The present procedure of getting the challan stamped is unnecessary and needs to be immediately removed.
A few years ago, property tax payments could be made at any branch of SBM. It was very convenient for the public in every way. Such a system should be brought back. In fact MCC might consider more than one bank and the Post Office also for making tax payments.
The names and designations of all MCC officials and staff should be clearly displayed on each table in all zonal offices and the procedure for property tax payment displayed in bold letters for the convenience of the public.
The chaotic situation now prevalent in the zonal offices is obvious to anyone and it is surprising that MCC has not noticed it and taken steps to rectify it.
Some of the zonal offices are in buildings which are not designed to hold so many people. If there is any emergency (fire, etc), exit is not easy with narrow stairs and corridors and there are sure to be casualties due to rushing or stampede. MCC will be wholly responsible for casualties following any such mishaps.
Clearly, the tax collection system needs to be made simpler and more people-friendly. First of all, since the Revenue Officer of MCC has instructed to AROs to accept all Self Assessment Forms without raising objections (letter No.HAPR.1/08-09 dated 9-4-09), tax payers with filled forms need to get the cash challan stamped by any official before the payment is accepted. The present procedure of getting the challan stamped is unnecessary and needs to be immediately removed.
A few years ago, property tax payments could be made at any branch of SBM. It was very convenient for the public in every way. Such a system should be brought back. In fact MCC might consider more than one bank and the Post Office also for making tax payments.
The names and designations of all MCC officials and staff should be clearly displayed on each table in all zonal offices and the procedure for property tax payment displayed in bold letters for the convenience of the public.
The chaotic situation now prevalent in the zonal offices is obvious to anyone and it is surprising that MCC has not noticed it and taken steps to rectify it.
Maj.Gen.(Rtd.) S.G. Vombatkere, Mysore Grahakara Parishat