Online services simplify tax payments and trade licences in village panchayats
Tamil Nadu has 12,525 villages spread across 37 districts. Tiruvannamalai has the highest number of villages at 860, followed by Villupuram with 688 and Cuddalore with 683. Kanniyakumari and the Nilgiris have the fewest villages, numbering 95 and 35, respectively.
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CHENNAI: Paying local body taxes and obtaining trade licences have become significantly easier with the introduction of online services by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department.
Tamil Nadu has 12,525 villages spread across 37 districts. Tiruvannamalai has the highest number of villages at 860, followed by Villupuram with 688 and Cuddalore with 683. Kanniyakumari and the Nilgiris have the fewest villages, numbering 95 and 35, respectively.
Until 2023, village panchayats collected taxes and other dues manually. In September that year, the state government launched an online tax portal, enabling all village panchayats to collect house tax, water charges, professional tax and other non-tax revenues digitally.
Residents can now pay their dues through the portal at https://vptax.tnrd.tn.gov.in using net banking, debit or credit cards, or UPI. The system has been particularly beneficial for property owners who live outside the village panchayats where their properties are located, as they no longer need to visit local offices in person to make payments.
With the shift to online transactions, desktop computers and internet connectivity have been provided to all 12,525 village panchayats. However, the sharp rise in daily transactions has created the need for additional infrastructure.
Around 1,500 village panchayats now require more computers to handle the increased workload. Tiruvannamalai district alone needs 105 additional computers, while Villupuram and Cuddalore require 85 each.
The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department has initiated steps to supply these additional computers under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan scheme.
“All government services are gradually being moved online so that people do not have to visit village panchayat offices. Those who are unable to access digital services can approach e-Sevai centres functioning in villages.
Due to heavy footfall, additional computers are required in around 1,500 panchayats, and these will be provided at the earliest,” a department official said.
