MYSURU: The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is embarking on an innovative strategy, leveraging the capabilities of women self-help groups (SHGs) to bolster its revenue collection, particularly focusing on property tax and water dues from defaulting accounts. This initiative is a dual-purpose endeavor, aiming to achieve a full 100 percent tax collection – given that property tax and water cess are the MCC’s primary income sources – while simultaneously creating economic opportunities for these SHGs.
Out of twenty women SHGs that applied for the assignment, the civic body has formalized partnerships with eight selected groups. These chosen SHGs have undergone requisite training and are slated to receive official authorization to commence their collection activities shortly. Eligibility for this program was stringent, requiring SHGs to be registered under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) scheme, alongside possessing digital literacy, computer skills, education, and relevant qualifications. As an incentive, the MCC will grant these SHGs a 5 percent commission on the total amount successfully collected from property tax and water cess payers.
The responsibilities of these women extend beyond simple collection. They will undertake door-to-door visits to collect water and property cess, and crucially, they will also assist residents with payment processes, offering support for both online and offline transactions after calculating the accurate amount due.
The eight finalized SHGs are strategically distributed across all 65 ward limits. Five of these groups have been assigned the specific task of collecting property tax, while the remaining three will focus on water cess. The SHGs designated for property tax collection include: Chamundeshwari Women SHG from Alanahalli, Daneshwari Women SHG from Vidyaranyapuram, Sharathy of Saraswathipuram, Angalaparameshwari of Janatha Colony, and Arora Women SHG from Agrahara. Meanwhile, the Spoorthy Women SHG of Azeezsait Nagar, Mallige of Kuvempu Nagar, and Sanjeevini Women SHG of Rajiv Nagar have been entrusted with the responsibility of collecting water cess.
In a complementary move to enhance urban management, the MCC has also enlisted six other women self-help groups for the maintenance of parks across the city. This decision marks a departure from the previous system, where maintenance contracts were awarded to private contractors and agencies. The SHGs selected for park maintenance are Annapoorneshwari, Lakshmi Saraswathi, Sammathi, Ya Abeeb, Gulshan, and Noor. For their services in park maintenance, the MCC has allocated payments ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh for each organization.
Somashekhar Jigani, MCC Deputy Commissioner (Revenue), conveyed to TOI that the corporation’s decision to engage women self-help groups is integral to its objective of achieving complete tax collection, recognizing property tax and water cess as vital revenue streams. He further highlighted the initiative’s benefit in empowering SHGs by providing them with opportunities to generate income.
