About the New Citizen-centric initiative of H.M.C. for its valued Rate-payers

The present Board of the Howrah Municipal Corporation, being inspired by the truly holistic development saga of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal Ms. Mamata Banerjee, under the ever aspiring leadership of the Hon’ble Mayor Dr. Rathin Chakravarty is committed to excel in the field of civic service delivery which is one of the prime factors to judge the efficiency of any such Urban Local Govt.

After the issuance and renewal of Certificate of Enlistment of Trade & Callings, commonly known as “Trade License”, now it is the turn of the payment of Property Tax in H.M.C. to become “On Line” which not only would meet the long standing demand of the citizens of Howrah but also would go a significant way to make the system of revenue collection more transparent, hustle free and citizen centric. In fact, during this age of global communication, till date the valued rate-payers would necessarily have to visit in compulsion the Central Office of HMC, irrespective of duelling area, for payment of Property Tax by cash and /or D.D., waiting patiently in a cue for his / her turn to come, as there is no other accepted means to do so. The impact, in one word, is thoroughly negative for the organisation.

However, with the passage of time with change in authority, the attitude has reversed and as a result of it, one by one significant steps are being taken by the present HMC authority in the domain of service delivery for qualitative excellence in order to make living in this age-old city more comfortable for its inmates in true senses. The latest of it is the de-centralised Property Tax payment system for the original 50 Wards of the Howrah Municipal Corporation. The newly merged 16 Wards of the erstwhile Bally Municipal area would however join later, only after completion of the process of on-going General Revision of assessment of Annual Value of land and buildings and re-fixation of property tax. A glimpse of the newly introduced system is as under :

• Property Tax can be paid "On Line" from any quarter of this globe using the normal accepted payment gateways
• In Offline, it can be deposited in any of the existing seven Borough Offices and /or Central Office of the H.MC, irrespective of territorial limitation
• Apart from cash or D.D., it can be remitted by using Debit / Credit Card
• Facility exists for generation of Duplicate Bill