Following the recent introduction of two new features in its website, the Coimbatore Corporation has now added one more – property tax calculation. According to Commissioner in-charge S. Sivarasu, the new feature relates to property tax and lets the assessee know how the civic body calculates the same.
He says if the assessee were to click ‘Public Disclosures’ in the home page, the server will take them to a page containing a list of options, of which the link number 12 is ‘Know how my tax is calculated’.
A click on the link will take the assessee or those interested to a calculation sheet – Property Tax Calculator, which contains total building plinth area, approved building area, unapproved building area, if any, building location, area of building, etc.
In all, there are 12 fields. If the assessee were to fill in all the details, he or she will be able to understand how the civic body calculated property tax.
Mr. Sivarasu says the move to introduce the feature was also part of the Corporation’s efforts to bring in a transparent administration and improve e-governance.
Only recently did the Coimbatore Corporation introduce short message service facility for building plan approval applicants. The Auto Development Control Rules system will inform the applicant if his application has been accepted or rejected and the application status, if accepted.
The second was the move to paste quick response code on property tax booklets for the assessee to find out the tax and also check if the civic body has received the payment.
The third was the plan to make available online birth and death certificates. During the last Council meeting on January 31, Mr. Sivarasu said that from April 1, 2013 onwards, the Corporation would make this feature available.
That apart, the Corporation plans to make available online the resolutions of various standing committees and zonal meetings, official orders and also press releases.
Also included in the same would be information on forthcoming meetings of standing committees, zones and also that of the Council.
In addition to these, the civic body will also totally revamp the website to make it more user-friendly.
The moves come even as the Coimbatore Consumer Cause has sought changes to the Corporation website >www.ccmc.gov.in
In a letter to the Corporation, the organisation’s secretary K. Kathirmathiyon had said that the Corporation should post acts and rules that it followed and was governed by, all Government orders that concerned the civic body, the agendas and minutes of Council meetings, details of public parks, playgrounds, parking fees, including those determined for fairs/exhibitions, details of community halls, wedding halls along with the rent fixed, grievance redress system, etc.
Mr. Kathirmathiyon says that the more the details, the higher the level of transparency and by adopting the same the Corporation will be able to set a trend in the State.
