The Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) launched an e-AASTHI-tax mela in Hubballi and Dharwad on Friday, aimed at encouraging residents to register their properties under the e-AASTHI system and clear outstanding property tax dues. This initiative is part of HDMC's efforts to enhance its revenue collection while ensuring full implementation of the e-AASTHI system. As registration under the e-Swathu system is mandatory for all property owners, HDMC has been actively promoting the benefits of the e-AASTHI platform to ensure residents register their properties and settle any pending tax payments to avoid penalties. For the first time, HDMC organized a special mela with five dedicated counters to assist the public with online applications for e-AASTHI documentation, property tax clearance, corrections in property documents, and new property registrations. The event was inaugurated by District Minister Santosh Lad in Hubballi, who encouraged residents to make use of the mela. Additionally, HDMC plans to host e-AASTHI and tax mela events at its headquarters and zonal offices on the first and third Saturdays of February to further promote the initiative. PB Vishwanath, HDMC's Chief Accounts Officer, stated that the mela is designed to streamline the property registration and tax payment processes. Property owners can visit these events to register their properties digitally and settle any outstanding taxes. HDMC officials will be available to assist with documentation and address any queries. The mela will offer on-the-spot registration services and a help desk for support. This systematic approach is expected to help HDMC maintain accurate property records and improve tax collection efficiency. For the first time, property owners will receive computer-generated online receipts for property registration applications, providing easy access for future reference. According to HDMC data, there are 330,000 properties in Hubballi-Dharwad, with 100,655 properties already registered under the e-AASTHI system. HDMC aims to cover all properties in the region under this system and has set a target to collect Rs 1.41 billion in property taxes by the end of March 2025, having already collected around Rs 1.15 billion. Vishwanath added that HDMC is raising awareness among citizens about the importance of paying property taxes on time and encouraged them to visit the office or mela to clear any pending dues. The e-AASTHI-tax mela initiative will continue at zonal offices every first and third Saturday of February until the target is achieved. (ET)