BHUBANESWAR: Completely shifting to an online payment mode for holding tax, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has done away with the offline mode of receiving the payment of the dues. Municipal Commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange said apart from the online payment facility, the civic body has also made provision for payment of the tax in digital mode in ward offices.
“An audit will soon start to find those who have defaulted holding tax and for inclusion of those who are still not included in this tax fold,” Kulange said. Deputy Commissioner for revenue Sapan Kumar Nanda said the civic body has made online payment of holding tax mandatory from this year.
While the tax can be paid online through Bhubaneswar.me portal, Nanda said the Civic body has also made provision of smart kiosks as well as POS machines at Ward offices for those unable to make digital payments at home. “The civic body has completely done away with a cash payment of the tax,” he said.
“The move is intended at streamlining the holding tax collection system making it more transparent,” Nanda said. Officials said the holding tax can be paid after logging in to pay property tax on Bhubaneswar. me portal. The taxpayers will require to enter their ward number, holding number, mobile number and e-mail id to initiate payment. A receipt will also be generated online after their payment.
BMC collects holding tax annually on the basis of the benchmark value of the built-up area of government and private property in its jurisdiction. Nanda said the holding tax is being collected at the old rate as a collection of the tax as per the revised benchmark value of land in the city by the GA department in 2019 has been put on hold.