Karnal residents can pay property tax online from next week

Citizens residing under the jurisdiction of the Karnal municipal corporation (KMC) will soon be able to pay property tax from home, with the civic body launching the online payment facility through a secure gateway.

The facility is expected to be functional from Monday after it gets all mandatory clearances to get online cash payment. The initiative aims to minimise public-official contact to curtail allegations of corruption, and also to ensure that the process of property tax collection becomes fast and transparent.

Karnal municipal commissioner Sumedha Kataria told HT, "The online payment system has been on a test mode since Tuesday for secure money transfer in the civic body's bank account. We hope to launch on Monday (July 27)."

Besides going online, the civic body has also issued a list of ten designated banks where the tax could be deposited.

"Residents will have an option to pay the tax, while using their credit or debit card to the KMC's secured gateway or they may deposit their dues at the designated banks," Kataria added, claiming that under the new system, long queues at the office would be a thing of the past.

The MC's step is expected to improve the property tax collection, as in spite of being the largest revenue source for civic bodies, the recovery of dues remains erratic. In Karnal alone, various central and state government establishments owe Rs 117 crore in property tax to the civic body.

August 31 last date to get interest waiver

In June, chief minister ML Khattar had announced a one-time waiver of the interest accrued on payment of property tax in cases pending since 2010 if the dues are cleared by August 31.

Individuals who clear their property tax backlog by the due date would also be eligible for a further relaxation of 30% in the tax for three fiscals from 2010-13. The rebate of 10% on property tax has been extended till August 31.

Kataria said that the KMC had recovered property tax of Rs 4 crore over the last few days.

"Most councillors are also voluntarily helping the MC teams in encouraging residents in to verify tax dues. Corrections are being made wherever discrepancy is found," she said.

List of designated banks

All branches of ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, Canara Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, IDBI, Andhra Bank, Kotak Mahindra and IndusInd will accept the property tax on the behalf of the KMC.

Grant of trade licences to also go online

Karnal municipal corporation commissioner Kataria said the state government had decided to reduce the time for granting of clearances to applications for running of provision stores, small eateries, barber shop, bakery shops etc. "License fee for various trades would be worked out in the next meeting of the House. People will be able to submit forms asking for permission and the fee online," she said.

The online payment system has been on a test mode since Tuesday for secure money transfer in the civic body's bank account.

Sumedha Kataria, Karnal municipal commissioner