Bengaluru: The BBMP has yet again left residents fuming and this time, it is over property tax. Reason: Change in software.
Praveen, a resident of RR Nagar, had paid taxes for three years in 2015. Since he paid it at one go, he paid Rs 5,000 in excess as the RO had miscalculated the tax rates. He was told that the excess money would be adjusted towards next year’s taxes as it would reflect in his account.
But on Friday, he was subjected to several shocks! First, the BBMP refused to accept the tax, saying he has to pay it either at Canara Bank or online. Choosing the online option, he logged onto to the BBMP website. After filling the form, the latest software calculated the taxes and indicated a final sum. But to his dismay, the excess amount in his account didn’t reflect anywhere. He then went back to the BBMP office to enquire and the reply was baffling! “This software doesn’t take previous balances into account. If you want your Rs 5,000 back, go and submit an application with the BBMP Revenue deputy commissioner. If you are lucky you will get it back, or else wait till next year,” a revenue official there said.
Praveen’s is not a lone case as thousands of property owners in Bengaluru have similar stories to tell, as non-parity between new software and the old one designed in 2008-o9 has led to several issues. Ironically, both were developed by NIC. A senior official with the revenue section, on condition of anonymity, told DC that the new software has created dozens of issues and property collection has been hit this year.
“Not only from the point of view of residents, even the BBMP is affected as tax collection has been hampered. There were no issues as such with the old software and even if there were, it could have been rectified. For eight years things were running smoothly. Suddenly, officials decided to go for a new software leading to this chaos,’’ he said.
The new software doesn’t take into account excess paid taxes from previous years. “What is worse is no new properties in Bengaluru can come onto the tax books of BBMP as it doesn’t take into account sale deeds. Naturally all new properties will not have khatha, PID or any application number which are vital to begin your tour on the website to pay your taxes. As a result, over lakh properties are now out of tax net, which would have contributed to the BBMP coffers in crores of rupees,” he said.
He said the BBMP should have signed an MoU with NIC with details on what is required from them three months before the commencement of the new financial year. “It was done in a hurry and no thought went into the making. The data can’t be integrated with the old one and in the coming days more issues are likely to crop up,” he said.
