Patna, Feb. 7: The revenue collection of Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has increased manifold after the citizens’ civic centres were set up. Reason: Transparency in monetary transaction.

The civic body, in collaboration with a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has set up citizens’ civic centres to facilitate tax collection in its all five zones. Sources said the corporation has seen at least 20 per cent rise in tax collection after the centres became functional. With a new centre opened in the capital today, the civic body’s hopes to get closer to the revenue target have got even higher.

“The holding tax collection of the corporation has always been abysmally low. The first civic centre was opened in 2009. Four others started in 2010. They have been a successful model as tax collection rate has increased by about Rs 10-20 lakh per month,” said a senior corporation official.

He said the target to collect holding tax in the current fiscal is Rs 35 crore. “The collection of property tax or holding tax revenue has rarely been more than 50 per cent of the target set. The citizens’ civic centres have helped us inch closer to the target. Though a huge gap still remains, we are trying to focus on publicising these centres so that more and more people becomes aware of the facility and its benefits,” the official said.

According to sources, PMC has always suffered losses in tax collection because of corrupt practices of many of its employees and its failure to take action against defaulters. “Earlier, there were few people who actually paid holding taxes. Even those who did, their money was not always transferred to the corporation’s account. Some corrupt officials used to spend the money themselves. At the computerised citizens’ civic centres, every transaction is made on record and people get due receipt of the payment,” said Tulika Jha, an official of the NGO involved with the project.

PMC officials said there were plans to promote the centres more. “The tax collection department of PMC is working hard to revise the age-old tax system in the city. Property tax is a major source of revenue for the municipal corporation. We have to create an environment of trust and we need to make people aware of the importance of tax payment for the city’s development. If we do not have enough funds, how will we provide civic amenities to people?” said an official with the tax collection department of PMC.

Residents who had come to pay taxes at the newly opened centre also hailed the PMC’s move. “I have been paying property tax regularly but I was never sure that the money was reaching the right place. With these centres opened, taxpayers can at least trust that their hard-earned money will not be usurped by some greedy corporation officials,” said Vijay Kumar Verma, a resident of Buddha Marg.