Computerisation of civic body records in limbo

GAYA: The

computerisation

programme of Gaya Municipal Corporation (GMC) is in limbo. The civic body which was supposed to take recourse to information technology (IT) a decade back to help minimise revenue losses, modernise payroll accounting, create a digitised map and improve operational efficiency in general, continues with the old ‘khata-bahi’ system suffering heavy losses.

If that was not enough, tax collectors engage agents, who, in turn, extort extra money from the tax payers. In many cases, tax collectors do not visit holding owners in time and the holding owners have to cough up penalty for no fault of theirs, says former municipal councillor Lalji Prasad.

“Vested interests have sabotaged the computerisation programme,” Prasad alleged. The GMC has already paid a heavy price for its antiquated record-keeping mechanism as it could not make it to the smart city list.

Former municipal commissioner Nilesh Devare revived the digitisation process a few years back. But Devare's transfer to Banka as district magistrate brought things back to square one.

Asked why the corporation continues with the leak-prone system and nothing is being done to implement the computerisation programme, municipal commissioner Vijay Kumar said the computerisation exercise has not been given up. It has only been delayed on account of shortage of hands and skill deficit.

Conceding that complaints of defalcation and non-deposit of tax money has been received, the municipal commissioner said action is taken whenever such complaints are received. About the alleged embezzlement of Bhusunda Mela collection, the official said the alleged scam did not take place in his tenure.

The municipal commissioner said he has come to know that some unauthorised persons were engaged in tax collection work. “Tax collectors, who hire proxies for their work, are being identified and action would be taken once the identification job is through,” he said.

Though the online system of municipal tax payment is yet to be introduced, tax collectors have been given auto swap machines to realise tax through debit/credit cards, added the municipal commissioner. He also said that negotiations are on with a leading private bank for online tax payment mechanism.


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