Residents can pay the property tax and utility bill at the click of a button from the comfort of their homes in Gurugram, says Om Prakash Sharma, Chief Accounts Officer, Municipal Corporation of Gurugram in conversation with Gautam Debroy of Elets News Network (ENN).
How is Municipal Corporation of Gurugram digitising the banks?
Municipal Corporation of Gurugram has started 100 per cent cashless provisions for its residents. We have different modes of payment. We have an agreement with different payment gateways to facilitate online payments for citizens. We have also started door-to-door payment collection in collaboration with the ICICI bank. Residents can pay the property tax and utility bill at the click of a button by sitting at homes. The online receipt has three copies. Of this one goes to the bank, one comes to us and the third one goes to the customer.
What initiatives do you have in the pipeline for near future to promote online services?
We have created our own website. Our web news portal is also there. There is a separate column for grievances redressal. The contact number of officials are available online for the public to approach them with their problems. Our Commissioner has given instructions that mobile numbers should always be kept on and in case of missed calls it is the officer’s duty to call back the customer.
What sort of challenges is coming in your way to implementing Smart City projects?
Although we are moving towards digital payments, sometimes residents of Old Gurugram face problem in online payments. In such cases, we help them. We have also started door-to-door payment collection system for them. We try to solve citizens’ problems through our web news and grievance redressal system.
“There is need to motivate people for digital payments. Though steps are on even by our Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Municipal Commissioner V Umashankar, some steps need to be taken to make the citizens aware of the benefits of the online payment system.”
What initiatives are desired to popularise digital payment system in Gurugram?
People need to be motivated for digital payments. Various initiatives are being taken by our Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Municipal Commissioner V Umashankar. Still, some steps need to be taken to make the citizens aware of the benefits of an online payment system.
