PANAJI
Aiming at enhancing tax collection, a door-to-door survey in Panaji will be initiated from January 15 onwards under the Smart City Mission.
The 40-day exercise will be carried out by a private agency, CRISIL, which will survey nearly 8,000 houses across the city.
Speaking to media persons, Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) Director Sidharth Kuncalienker said, "CRISIL has taken up the task of carrying out the survey. This is a project funded by the Central government which aims at enhancement of the revenue of the local urban body. Already, we have carried out the ground-level mapping. In all, there are 52 attributes which include power, water and sewage, among others."
"CCP's collection is only seven per cent of what is billed. This is a very serious issue. But we have to also find out if the tax is levied genuinely. It is not because the people are defaulting. But there are properties which are underassessed and those not assessed," he informed.
Stating that apart from garbage management, another major issue is public transportation, he said, "To make public transportation more effective, we will have to formulate a system. Hence, to prepare a comprehensive mobility plan, we have floated tender to appoint a consultant to guide us on the steps that need to be initiated."
Kuncalienker also informed that they are contemplating on introducing power bikes in Panaji under the Public Bike Sharing System.
"We had started with pedal bikes during the Serendipity Arts Festival. Now we want to introduce power bikes with electric motors as Panaji has landscapes like hills too," he stated.
Aiming at enhancing tax collection, a door-to-door survey in Panaji will be initiated from January 15 onwards under the Smart City Mission.
The 40-day exercise will be carried out by a private agency, CRISIL, which will survey nearly 8,000 houses across the city.
Speaking to media persons, Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) Director Sidharth Kuncalienker said, "CRISIL has taken up the task of carrying out the survey. This is a project funded by the Central government which aims at enhancement of the revenue of the local urban body. Already, we have carried out the ground-level mapping. In all, there are 52 attributes which include power, water and sewage, among others."
"CCP's collection is only seven per cent of what is billed. This is a very serious issue. But we have to also find out if the tax is levied genuinely. It is not because the people are defaulting. But there are properties which are underassessed and those not assessed," he informed.
Stating that apart from garbage management, another major issue is public transportation, he said, "To make public transportation more effective, we will have to formulate a system. Hence, to prepare a comprehensive mobility plan, we have floated tender to appoint a consultant to guide us on the steps that need to be initiated."
Kuncalienker also informed that they are contemplating on introducing power bikes in Panaji under the Public Bike Sharing System.
"We had started with pedal bikes during the Serendipity Arts Festival. Now we want to introduce power bikes with electric motors as Panaji has landscapes like hills too," he stated.
