BENGALURU: Property owners who are clear their tax dues ahead of the revised deadline to secure 5% rebate have flagged confusion over a new set of mandatory questions in the tax payment process.
Taxpayers say they are now required to answer six questions under a newly introduced section, reportedly meant to identify bulk waste generators.
One question – whether an apartment generates 100kg of waste per day – has left many residents puzzled, with several saying they lack the means to assess such data. Many described the experience as a “rude shock”, given the time limit to meet the deadline.
Taxpayers and opposition leaders are urging Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to simplify the process to ensure smoother compliance. CIVIC Bangalore executive trustee Kathyayini Chamaraj said such technical queries should not be imposed on individual taxpayers who do not have access to such information.
Leader of Opposition R Ashoka slammed the move, calling it impractical and disconnected from reality. “The new property tax format in Bengaluru has created unnecessary confusion and anxiety. Asking citizens to declare daily waste generation without any scientific basis or measurement mechanism is unreasonable,” he said.
Residents are being forced to enter rough estimates just to complete the process, which could end up inflating their tax liability. “This is unfair and unacceptable. The government must immediately withdraw these flawed provisions and simplify the system. If waste data is needed, it is the responsibility of authorities to assess it, not shift the burden on to citizens,” Ashoka said.
Opposition Leader in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy termed as “nonsensical” the linking of solid waste management (SWM) with property tax. Karnataka Rashtra Samithi honorary president Ravi Krishna Reddy warned that the added requirements could deter timely payments. “If taxpayers don’t have these details, they may simply avoid paying. Then who is to blame?” he asked.
Joseph S Xavier, a taxpayer, noted that residents already dealing with the rollout of e-khata are now being asked to declare waste generation. “What is the rationale behind this system?” he questioned.
A former senior bureaucrat said linking SWM charges with property tax has caused hardship. “GBA has turned itself into a collection channel for SWM, which is a separate entity,” he said. He added that if such a linkage was intended, authorities should have designed a transparent, citizen-friendly framework integrating SWM charges into the property tax system.
“There should have been public consultation, including with Resident Welfare Associations, to understand practical challenges,” he said. He also pointed to a pattern, citing the rollout of e-khata, where inadequate consultation and design gaps led to inconvenience for citizens.
He noted that BBMP’s property tax system was once considered among the most efficient and citizen-friendly in the country, but increasing layers of complexity have been added.
OTS: BWSSB eyes Rs 471.56 cr from 2.18 lakh beneficiaries
Bengaluru: With its One-Time Settlement (OTS) rolled out on March 21 receiving a positive response from the city residents, the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has reviewed its legacy records and identified 2,81,019 eligible beneficiaries out of the total 3,73,883 registered cases.
Notices to be sent to 2,12,359 beneficiaries out of the 2,81,019 selected cases, have been printed and dispatched to the respective sub-divisions till Sunday. It is expected that the rest of the notices would be printed and dispatched by May 10.
The BWSSB aims to collect Rs 471.56 crore in principal dues while offering an interest waiver of Rs 252.29 crore to the beneficiaries. The scheme has already demonstrated strong early traction, according to information shared by the BWSSB.
From the first batch of 56,765 beneficiaries who have been sent the notices, BWSSB has already received Rs 12.15 crore. “The encouraging initial response to the OTS scheme shows that when a transparent and respectful system is put in place, consumers respond positively.
We urge all eligible citizens to make use of this opportunity,” said BWSSB chairman Dr Ram Prasath Manohar.
