Advance payment facility for property tax on the anvil

UNVEILING PLANS: Chairperson of the Chennai Corporation Committee on Taxation and Finance Radha Sambandan presents the civic body’s 2011-2012 budget at Ripon Building on Tuesday. Photo: R. Ragu

The Chennai Corporation will introduce facilities for advance payment of property tax shortly.

“Advance payment of property tax can be made up to three years. Payment of property tax through post offices and banks will be introduced,” Mayor M.Subramanian announced in the Corporation Council on Tuesday.

He was speaking at the meeting in which the budget for 2011-12 was presented by Chairperson of the Chennai Corporation Committee on Taxation and Finance Radha Sambandan.

Nine zones would have Anytime Payment Machine (ATPM) for receiving property tax, he added. Payment of profession tax through banks would be enabled for private establishments and departments employing more than 100 persons. Payment of property tax through bank automated teller machines (ATMs) would also be introduced. Grievance redressal cells would be inaugurated in all 10 zones.

The Chennai Corporation would introduce French as an alternative first language in its schools.

The scheme would be launched in Chennai Girls Higher Secondary School, on a pilot basis.

Smart classes would be introduced in two Chennai Schools, said Mr. Subramanian.

The entire educational expenses of Chennai School students, who join the IITs, would be borne by the Chennai Corporation, he said.

Chennai School students, who secure centum in mathematics, science and social science in Class X, would receive a cash award of Rs. 25,000.

Those who secure centum in all four main subjects in Class XII would receive a cash award of Rs.50,000.

Those who secure the first three ranks at the State level in Tamil language would be given a cash award of Rs.25,000, a citation and a shield.

Science exhibition would be conducted in all the zones. Four Chennai Higher Secondary Schools would get well designed athletic tracks and courts for outdoor games.

A school atlas would be supplied free of cost to all Chennai Middle School students.

Six now courses would be introduced in community colleges of the civic body.

A total of 2,000 new lamps posts would be erected and 200 km of new cable would be laid in the city.

Two mobile high mast lights would be procured.