Swipe machines for tax collection in Sambalpur

Deputy Commissioner of the SMC, Sudhansu Bhoi said, "We have already asked the HDFC bank to provide us two swipe machines. While one swipe machine will be installed at the office of Sambalpur Municipal Corporation for collection of tax here, the tax collector will take another machine to collect tax from doorsteps."

He also said that they would start collecting through the swipe machine within a day or two. If the response is good, the civic body would ask the bank for more machines.

The common people are facing inconvenience in paying taxes due to scarcity of the currency notes now. However, the problem will be resolved after the swipe machines are procured. The tax payer could pay taxes using debit or credit card. SMC will collect holding tax besides other taxes with the swipe machines, Bhoi said.

SMC would also introduce online payment of holding tax soon. Software has already been developed for this purpose.

National Informatics Centre has conducted the security audit of the software and the software will be incorporated on the corporation's website shortly, he said.