AMC, ASCDCL hurting sentiments of genuine tax-payers

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad, April 21:

The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is leaving no platform for pooh-poohing that Aurangabad has become a SMART CITY. The financial year (2022-23) has commenced 20 days ago, however, the AMC is yet to streamline the tax collection system either manually or online, in the last three weeks.

The genuine tax-payers, maybe in a few per cents, but are making rounds of their respective ward office, apart from effort to pay online, regularly. They accused the civic administration of taking them for granted under the guise of a system upgradation programme.

A Cidco resident, who wishes to remain anonymous said," I am making rounds of the ward office in Cidco since April 2. Earlier, I was told that the system is being upgraded and the collection of taxes will resume next week. The same reply was given to me on April 11, but on April 18, I was made it clear by the staff on duty that they are unable to tell when the process will be completed."

Another resident of an area falling in the jurisdiction of ward office in Kranti Chowk said," We are responsible citizens and wish to pay our taxes and get relieved, at the earliest, but it seems that the AMC does not care about genuine tax-payers. There are many, who are making rounds of the office and wanted to pay the taxes."

Adds a resident of the Samarthnagar area said, " I am disheartened with the poor quality service. Apart from the ward office, I tried to pay online, but was in vain, as the site is not opening for the past two weeks. The contribution of tax-payers in the city's development is being refuted by AMC by delaying in tax collection."

No representation

The disappointed residents claimed that there are no public representatives (corporators) to represent or raise their voice and take the AMC to task for its lethargy. The delay is going on as it is now not answerable to anybody, said the tax-payers unanimously.

" Despite not receiving water in our taps regularly, we want to clear our tax liabilities. We are seeing the notice pasted on the wall and door of the ward office and returning home. It has become a routine for the past 10 days," stressed an old lady tax-payer.

Help us to serve you better: AMC

The AMC's assessor and collector of tax Aparna Thete said," The shifting of data from old software to the Cloud-based system has just been completed. The technical works are going on through the Smart City funds. I respect the feelings of tax-payers, but the task of upgradation is a major decision taken to render quality service to the citizens in the long term. Within 2/3 days, the circulation of SMS alerts (mentioning the amount of property and water tax with payment link) will be started. The distribution of tax demand notes will also follow soon. Kindly co-operate the AMC and once the system sets in its place then there would be no hurdles in depositing tax manually or online."

Meanwhile, the AMC sources claimed that the delay is from ASCDCL as a technical snag in Cloud System had halted the work for a day or two recently. When contacted the ASCDCL project manager Syed Faiz Ali was not available to comment on the issue.