Soon, pay road tax online

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 24

After successfully testing online payments for issuing stamp papers to vendors, the UT is going in for online submission of road tax for new vehicles being registered with the UT Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA).

Through the UT Treasury, stamp vendors in the city deposit their payment online prior to buying stamp papers of different denominations. The UT earns a revenue of around Rs 90 crore from the sale of stamp papers alone.

The UT Transport Department gets around Rs 110 crore annually as receipt from the collection of road tax by the RLA. It is now gearing up for a major citizen-government e-interface by facilitating car buyers to pay road taxes online. The facility is likely to start soon.

“After going on the newly launched website of the RLA, an applicant can calculate the tax and will be able to deposit it online through the portals of four banks — the State Bank of India, the State Bank of Patiala, Punjab National Bank and the Oriental Bank of Commerce” said an official.

Sources said after the RLA, the online facility would be extended to other public offices such as the Estate Office, Excise and Taxation, Electricity, Water Supply and the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. Of the total annual receipt of around Rs 2,000 crore from various departments, the collections from the Estate Office and the Excise Department alone account for Rs 400 crore and Rs 800 crore, respectively.

Online payment at Estate Office need of the hour

One of the most visited offices, the Estate Office accepts payment for various works through pay orders. The online payment facility will save the public of harassment.

What is GRAS

The Government Receipt Accounting System (GRAS) is a web-based system which enables collection of tax by the government. It facilitates payment in many ways and offers a choice of banks.