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CMC goes hi-tech with e-payment of rates
View(s):The online rate payment system introduced by the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) this week, in collaboration with the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), is expected to help the council collect millions of rupees due to the council as overdues pile up.Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on January 8, Mayor A.J.M. Muzammil stressed the importance of extending this system to make available the stamp duty due to the CMC which is already in arrears of Rs 1,500 million from local governmental authorities.
The system will enable Colombo city residents to pay Rates, Trade tax, Tax on businesses, Market rental, House rental, Shops and boutiques rental and Hawkers’ rental. According to CMC’s Chief Treasurer K.D. Chitrapala, there are 15,000 ratable properties in Colombo city and this 24-hour e-service will facilitate all tax payers to make their due payments via internet or mobile easy cash.
“Earlier too, we had an online rate payment system which could only be accessed through a private bank, but it did not allow tax payers to check their account balance or to receive a receipt” said the treasurer. “The new system is devised to overcome all those shortcomings.”Mr Chitrapala told the Sunday Times that, not only tax payers, but the CMC will also be facilitated by the system, as it enables them to get account balance reports, and, in the long term, to reduce tax collecting expenditure.
“We wish to issue constitutional notices and reminder notices with regard to rate payments on internet in future, and also to send reminder notices via SMS,” he added. Tax payers can log onto the CMC website at www.cmc.lk and gain access to proceed with the payments. Taxpayers need only to submit the CMC account number, the relevant street name and assessment number to pay their tax. According to an ICTA official, Visa or Master credit card of any local bank will be accepted by the system and a payment receipt will be sent via e-mail.