The Margao Municipal Council’s ambitious online tax payment facility has come to a close with MMC failing to resolve the various technical issues associated with it.
There have been several meetings including that by the standing committee where tax-related issues and problems with the system run by National Informatics Centre (NIC) were discussed.
MMC’s new proposals for various taxes also ran into various loopholes and the chief officer had recently had post discussions of these issues at the Standing Committee meeting of the MMC. It was decided to adopt a resolution and get the changes done in the software through NIC. Some of these problems also included situations where residents had complaints with the garbage fees generated which needed to be resolved.
The people dwelling in the town have been raising the issues with the MMC Chief Officer regarding the improper charging of garbage fees.
“As the computer software run by the National Informatics Corporation generates total receipt, the people especially Non-Resident Goans have taken objection to the charges, as they claim that they do not generate garbage at all,” said Chief Officer Yashwant Tawde.
However, sources at NIC pointed out that the system has been shut for the moment for want of cooperation and support from MMC. They added that the problem had risen as there was no one from the MMC side to man the online facility and to process the incoming requests.
Sources further informed that this had resulted in a backlog of over 80 requests, it was creating a toll on the daily requests and with the situation not improving for want of administrative staff to handle the software; it was decided to make it offline.
NIC officials added that MMC had stopped processing online payments for the last three months and that the solution was for MMC to appoint or direct staff to handle this specific responsibility.
MMC chairperson Babita Angle said she had taken up this matter with the administrative section and the chief officer regarding the technical issues affecting the system. She added that there were talks with a private bank if they could handle the online payments other than the existing bank. MMC CO Tawde added that talks are on with the NIC to sort out the technical problems and other issues with the existing system.
