The MCD said in December that geo-tagging all types of properties is now mandatory to qualify for a 10 per cent property tax exemption. The drive to geo-tag commercial and residential properties in Delhi has received a poor response, with just 78,000 properties being geo-tagged by their owners, as per a media report.
What is geo-tagging?
According to the official website of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), geo-tagging of properties is the process of associating a distinct latitude-longitude marker with a property on a Geographic Information System (GIS) map. This is achieved by choosing the current location corresponding to a unique property identification code. The purpose is to guarantee that properties are geographically identified by their precise location on the map.
Why is geo-tagging of properties needed?
The MCD said that geo-tagging properties aims to provide location-based identification of individual properties, facilitating improved service delivery by the civic agency to the citizens. Once a property is geo-tagged , it can be easily located in a geographical space, and this information can be used for better provisioning of different services to the citizens.
How does the MCD benefit from geo-tagging?
Any other address is dynamic, but latitude-longitude band information about a property is unique and relatively permanent, according to the website of MCD. The information is very precise and can be utilised for better provisioning of services to citizens and reaching out to them.
What happens if you fail to geo-tag your property by January 31?
According to the civic agency, property owners failing to geo-tag their properties by January 31 will lose eligibility for the 10 per cent rebate on lump-sum advance tax payments in the upcoming financial year, with the deadline for such payments being June 30. If MCD officers have already geo-tagged a property, there is no need for further geo-tagging, as per the MCD statement.
Additionally, the MCD advised property owners who haven't registered their assets on the civic body's property tax portal to complete the registration process, generate a Unique Property Identification Code (UPIC), and geo-tag their properties. Failure to register by January 31 may result in legal action by the civic body, including measures to recover the tax.
How can you geo-tag your property?
The MCD has introduced a mobile app dedicated to geo-tagging both residential and non-residential properties. Property owners can utilise the Unified Mobile App (UMA), available for download on the Google Play Store, or visit the website at https://mcdonline.nic.in/mcdapp.html.
To initiate the geo-tagging process, applicants are required to follow these steps:
1. Download the UMA app and select the citizen option.
2. Input login details.
3. Choose the Unique Property Identification Code (UPIC) for geo-tagging, using a registered mobile number.
4. Select the Property UPIC, go to the Action button, and click on 'geo-tagging' for the map location to appear.
For property owners without UPIC numbers, it is necessary to generate UPIC before proceeding with the geo-tagging of their properties.
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