MANGALORE: Various programmes aimed at improving administration and e-governance at the Mangalore City Corporation have run into trouble as the contractors who have taken up survey are finding the payment offered by the MCC "too low". According to Mayor Vijaya Arun, MCC is one of the top-rated corporations in the State. But when it comes to paying the contractors and offering rates for services provided by experts, the MCC appears to be lagging behind.

As a result, schemes such as Nirmala Nagara Yojane, online tax collection programme and a programme to survey properties have become non-starters.

The MCC wanted to start a geographical information system-based online tax collection programme by the fiscal year 2007-08. The corporation had engaged surveyors since 2005 for the programme but all of them have left without completing the job.

The MCC wanted to put the details of 1.6 lakh properties that come under its jurisdiction online by January 2007 and offered to pay Rs. 7.50 per property for the surveyors. The project was given to a local engineers' group which employed surveyors to carry out the work. They found that the surveyors were dropping out because the payment was inadequate.

Acting on the suggestions given by the then Deputy Commissioner, the corporation hired ITI certificate holders for the job at the same payment. But they also reported that the payment was not sufficient.

The MCC then awarded the work to a private company through a tender at Rs. 10 per property though the company had quoted Rs. 13.50 per property.

The company, which started the work with a team of 60 surveyors, backed out from it after about 10 months saying that it had incurred a loss of Rs. 8 lakh.

In 2006, a private contractor from Surathkal quoted Rs. 21.50 per property, but the MCC authorities said that the rate was too high.

Meanwhile, according to the corporation's finance committee report, the number of properties that come under the corporation jurisdiction has gone up to 1,89,000 and only 8,000 of them have been surveyed.

Chairman of the committee Gilbert Pinto said that there was no turning back from the decision to bring the city under e-taxation scheme. This would also help the corporation in bring together various other pro-tax payer schemes and services, he said.

Chairman of the health committee Mahabala Maarla told The Hindu that the online records of properties would also help in extending the Nirmala Nagara Yojane to all wards of the corporation.

Chairman of the works committee Kavita Sanil said that the corporation should use its own fund to start the project instead of waiting for funds from the Urban Development Department.

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