Third genders begin collection of holding taxes under BMC

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Bhubaneswar: Aiming to improve its holding tax collections, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Friday, roped in the third-gender community and flagged off a special squad from Sahid Nagar that will make door-to-door revenue collection.
Under the initiative, the BMC along with the collaboration of TG Swikruti, an SHG, distributed identity cards and uniforms to kick-start the campaign. With slogan, `Tax dijiye dua lijiye’ (Give holding tax and receive our blessings), the SHG collected about Rs 66,000 on first day of operation. Meanwhile, the SHG will aim at collecting nearly Rs 11 crore from bigger defaulters.
Speaking on the occasion, Meghna Sahu, president of TG Swikruti said, “While in many organisations and places the transgender community members are either sidelined or not given due respect in case of employment and other social positions, this initiative by BMC will definitely help us financially. We will try our best to help the civic body to achieve its goal and also to prove our worth as the authorities have bestowed faith in us.”
The new strategy for collection of revenue involving third genders is said to meet two objectives. Firstly, it will involve transgender community’s self help group which is registered with the BMC under National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM). And secondly, the strategy will involve rehabilitation of under-privileged communities by augmentation of their income.