‘Palike’ will catch property tax evaders

‘Palike’ will catch property tax evaders

Krishnaprasad

GIS-based database on all properties getting ready

Declarations will be matched with this database

Bangalore: This year, you cannot get away with false information in property tax returns.

The new software, called “Palike,” developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) would track down false declarations within minutes.

The software would create an automatic property register which would be on BBMP’s website within a couple of weeks from the commencement of property tax payment.

According to BBMP officials, the software would contain pre-determined fields such as zones, types of property and Unit Area Value (UAV).

The software would match the declaration made by the property owner with that of the pre-determined fields.

If there was a mismatch and the calculations were wrong, it would generate a report.

Details submitted in the returns would be fed into the system the same day, the officials said.

It was in this context that the provision to file “revised returns” had been made in the BBMP Property Tax Rules, 2009, an officer pointed out. The software would scrutinise details such as built-up area, number of floors, and usage of the property once details of the survey of properties based on Geographical Information System (GIS) was completed and fed into the system.

Keonics, the State Government undertaking which was preparing GIS database of properties, had already covered 650 sq km of the city. It was expected to cover the rest of the city in 30 days, said an officer.