VMC Deputy Commissioner Dhaval Pandya said, “So far, any grievances related to the revenue department had to be made to the head office. (Representational)
Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has decentralised its revenue department to make redressal of grievances pertaining to property tax and other such issues a faster process.
The VMC had been generating the annual property tax invoices for about 7 lakh residential and non-residential premises at its head office.
The respective ward offices then serve the invoices upon the residents in their jurisdictions. The residents can make payments online or at their ward offices or the head office. However, with the decentralisation, all 12 ward offices in the city will now have a revenue department to allow residents to make payments locally in their area or through online, as well as to register grievances related to the calculation of the property tax and other such issues.
VMC Deputy Commissioner Dhaval Pandya said, “So far, any grievances related to the revenue department had to be made to the head office.
The process of providing resolution was time-consuming. This move will ensure that there is no need for people to travel all the way to the head office during the Covid-19 pandemic and the local ward offices can resolve the issues faster. Like in other corporations, we can aim to provide resolutions on the same day itself.”
The VMC has deputed staff from the revenue head office — four appellate officers, nine revenue officers, nine head clerks and 11 junior clerks along with 20 peons– to the ward offices in order to make the transition smooth.
“These officers will be available to address the issues. The ward offices which keep a record of the actual property measurements in their respective areas, as well as outstanding tax dues, will also help the revenue officers ensure that the VMC is able to recover arrears. It will help in income generation,” Pandya said, adding that with 12 new villages included in the city limits since February 2019, the decentralisation of the revenue department will help in the management of tax calculations.
The VMC, which had announced a 10 per cent rebate on residential property tax payments this year and a 20 per cent rebate on commercial property tax payments, has made a total recovery of 98.84 crore until July 14, including arrears of previous years of residential and non residential premises.