Transgenders collect over Rs 60k holding tax in Odisha capital on Day 1

Bhubaneswar: Breaking all sexiest stereotypes, members of a transgender Self Help Group (SHG) Swikruti rolled up their sleeves and came forward to start collecting holding tax starting Friday. On the first day, they collected over Rs 60,000 from willful defaulters in the state capital.

Starting from Saheed Nagar here, the TGs collected a total amount of Rs 66,264 as holding tax . The special squad will carry out the drive throughout the month and submit its report to Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on 5th of every month.

The SHG members have been provided with uniforms and identity cards by the BMC for the special drive. The corporation will bear travel cost for their daily commute. However, the BMC has asked the transgenders to be well-behaved and maintain discipline while carrying out the task.

“With this, we aim to employ members of third gender community and bring them to the mainstream. This will also ensure a boost in revenue of the civic body,” said BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary.

“We feel empowered and will give our best to collect all the pending dues. By this, we will also prove our abilities.” said SHG Swikriti President Meghna Sahu

Earlier last year, BMC Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Srimanta Mishra and Meghana Sahoo had signed an agreement to rope in transgenders for recovering of holding tax and trade licence fee. With this initiative BMC intends to collect pending amount of nearly Rs 11 crore from defaulters.