Telangana’s Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration (CDMA) has developed a dedicated WhatsApp Property Tax Payment channel to make tax payment easier for individuals throughout the state. This service will be completely free to use, and it will also serve as a source of up-to-date tax information.
People may readily utilize these facilities and pay their taxes using a debit card, credit card, or internet banking by sending a message to CDMA, Telangana’s official WhatsApp account on +91 90002 53342. The chatbot is now accessible in English and Telugu, with Urdu being added as a third language in the coming days.
During the continuing Covid-19 outbreak, the ‘CDMA, Telangana Property Tax Module’ is an automated ‘chatbot’ facility that has allowed residents to replace appointments to the Municipal office with contactless transactions. The WhatsApp-based system is also projected to enhance tax revenue drastically.
How can I pay my Telangana property tax using WhatsApp?
Step 1: Send a message saying “Hi” to +91 90002 53342, the official WhatsApp number of the CDMA.
Step 2: The chatbot is presently accessible in English and Telugu. To continue, select your preferred language. For instance, write ‘B’ for English.
Step 3: Select the service you want to use. If you want to “Know and Pay Property Tax,” just type “1” in the chat window.
Step 4: If you select ‘1′, you will be prompted to pay tax using either your PTIN number or your house number as identification. Make your choice and then pay your property tax. Select the service you want to use and pay your property tax with a debit card, credit card, or even online banking.
Telangana’s Minister of Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Shri KT Rama Rao, stated that “Telangana is one of the fastest urbanizing states. With around 20 lakh property tax assessments throughout metropolitan local authorities, our residents are still paying their taxes through POS machines or citizen service centres. We launched a citizen service on WhatsApp as part of our Digital Telangana Initiatives, and it has already received great comments and remarks from the users. We’d like to express our gratitude to the WhatsApp team for their assistance in launching this service. To guarantee that CDMA’s WhatsApp chatbot remains useful to residents, we will continue to offer new services.”
“Since the outbreak of the pandemic, WhatsApp has grown in popularity as a channel for communication between governments and citizens, as well as between friends, businesses, and consumers.” WhatsApp India’s head of public policy, Shivnath Thukral, stated, “We are pleased to witness the numerous significant ways in which WhatsApp is contributing value to the country.”
Other citizen services offered by CDMA on WhatsApp
Citizens can also use the following services in addition to property tax:
- Know and pay property tax
- Property tax self-assessment
- Grievance redressal
- Water tap connection
- Signage licence for advertisement
- Citizen charter
- Trade licence and renewal
- Birth and death certificate service
- Building/layout permission
- Mobile tower approval
The CDMA also plans to add additional services to the app, including water bill payment and the COVID-19 vaccination, so that it may serve as a one-stop platform for all services. Citizens will be able to get all of the information they want via WhatsApp, and also a direct link to apply for those services online.
WhatsApp promises to engage with the community, industry, and government to develop such meaningful projects, as it is committed to support and promote G2C services. Telangana’s CDMA hopes to use WhatsApp to create a transparent, efficient, and secure medium for better a connection with citizens and encouraging digital inclusion.
When it comes to municipal administration in Telangana, the CDMA is the highest authority, and it advises corporations and municipalities on how to carry out their duties in accordance with the norms and regulations.
The CDMA is also in charge of supervising and monitoring the execution and implementation of numerous programmes including the AMRUT, smart cities, and so on.
What Is the Importance of Property Tax?
The state government is in charge of imposing these taxes and collecting them from taxpayers, or registered property owners, through appointed municipalities and local organizations. This is one of the most essential sources of income since it helps to fund the construction of roads, municipal offices, street lighting, drainage systems, and other crucial facilities for the community at large.
This tax is imposed using several computation methodologies, with the form of payment and methods determined by the respective municipality in charge. When calculating the amount of tax to be paid by the owner, the location of the property is also taken into account. The property owner is responsible for paying this tax every year, and the tax amount determined for each taxpayer is allocated to a particular slab rate. There is a separate website dedicated to Telangana Property Tax, where taxpayers may enter their information, register, and determine the amount of property tax they owe to the Telangana state government.
Owners can determine the amount that must be paid using the property tax calculator provided on the website. After entering the required information, it calculates the exact value of the amount you need to pay for the property you own, allowing you to have a better understanding of the actual amount that must be paid.
Another important point to mention is that the Telangana State Government has made it easy to pay Property Tax Gram Panchayat online. As a result, taxpayers may now pay their taxes over the internet.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Paying Your Property Tax Other Than WhatsApp
If you own a property in Hyderabad, you are automatically included in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s list of taxpayers, and you must pay the GHMC the taxes levied on you on a yearly basis. Similarly, if you own a property in Telangana, you must pay GHMC taxes on such property every year. Regardless of whether you reside in the property or rent it out, you must pay GHMC property tax. The amount of tax collected is determined by the property’s location, size, whether it is under construction or ready for habitation, and the services supplied by the municipality in that region. Furthermore, property owners’ age and gender may be considered as well since elderly citizens, and female owners may be charged a lesser cost. There are, however, special penalties to be aware of while paying the GHMC Tax.
Penalties
- If you fail to pay your taxes on time, you will be charged a penalty by the GHMC. The due dates that every taxpayer should be aware of are usually July 31st and October 15th. Ascertain that you have paid your half-yearly property tax dues by these dates. Every time a deadline is missed, you will be charged an extra penalty of 2% of the property tax due for each month in which the payment is late.
- The GHMC also has several initiatives and schemes in place to reward taxpayers who pay their bills on time. If you always pay on time and recover your arrears on time as a taxpayer, you can anticipate financial prizes via a fortunate draw for owners who pay on or before the due date.
Online Payments
- Log on to the GHMC’s web portal, input the pin you were given into the field, and select the option titled “Know your property tax dues.”
- Examine and confirm the validity of the property deed and other documents.
- The page shows you all of the information you need to know, such as the property tax and adjustments, and allows you to choose your preferred payment method.
- Pay your property tax dues by entering the required data and inputs as directed. It’s as easy as it appears.
If the taxpayer prefers not to pay online, GHMC also accepts offline payments, which can be made by downloading and drawing a demand draft or cheque in the name of “commissioner,” GHMC, and depositing it at one of the state bank branches in Hyderabad, Citizen Service Centers, Meeseva Counters, or with bill collectors.
Use the information you have learned about the GHMC’s property tax payment process to pay your property taxes on time. This not only assists you in contributing to the state’s progress, but it also works in your favour. For example, in the event of a property dispute, the property tax receipt might be used to establish ownership and therefore resolve the disagreement. A property tax receipt is also an important document that lenders check for before approving a loan against a property request. A loan against property normally has a large sanction, making it simple to achieve big-ticket goals.
Telangana’s Gram Panchayat Property Tax has also assured and chosen to be the catalyst for raising knowledge about paying property taxes on time and how to be punctual. It is raising tremendous awareness so that even villages may benefit from the advantages being rolled out to assist residents, in paying their taxes and comprehending the need of paying property tax. It also encourages and educates them at every step to help them comprehend, embrace, and adapt to the habit of paying taxes on time, as well as the reasons for their inclusion on the list of property taxpayers.
The most recent news on Telangana’s property tax
The ‘Early Bird Scheme’ in Telangana has been extended.
The Early Bird Scheme has been extended until May 31, 2021, since property tax collections have been promising despite the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the CDMA office, the state’s 129 municipalities and 12 municipal corporations (excluding GHMC) earned Rs 101 crores.
The taxpayer will receive a 5% property tax credit under the scheme. Because of the state’s prolonged lockdown, it’s possible that the plan will be extended till June 30’ 2021.
Despite the pandemic, Telangana’s property tax collection is improving.
Telangana has reported a larger property tax collection in FY 2020-21 than the previous year, owing to the state’s economic growth and agriculture sector. Property tax collections from 141 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) totaled Rs 703.32 crore this fiscal year, compared to Rs 561.05 crore in FY 2019-20.
FAQs
1.Is it possible to apply for a water tap connection via the CDMA?
Contact the CDMA through their official WhatsApp number. You must register online and provide the relevant information. The processing duration for such applications is 14 days.
2.How can I go about filing a complaint with the CDMA?
You may use the Citizen Buddy smartphone app to file a complaint about cleanliness, water supply, street lighting, and other issues, as well as track the status of your complaint.
3.What happens if property taxes are not paid on time in Telangana?
In the event of a delay beyond the GHMC property tax due dates, the taxpayer must pay a penalty charge of 2% per month on the unpaid amount.
4.Is it possible to pay property tax in Telangana online?
For non-residential and residential properties, the GMHC uses separate calculations and allows tax payments both online and offline. This means you may pay your Telangana property tax online by simply following a series of instructions.
5.In India, why do we have to pay property tax?
A property tax is a fee levied by the government on the owners of real estate. The tax is collected by the government to cover the costs of public expenditures and services, as well as the cost of upgrades and installations.
