LMC initiative: Citizens can pay lumpsum online to avail 10% discount on garbage collection fee
LUCKNOW The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has introduced a 10% discount on door-to-door waste collection user charges for citizens who make lumpsum payments through online modes. The discount, available till June 30, applies to payments made via UPI, BBPS, netbanking and cards, said officials. The discount, available till June 30, applies to payments made via UPI, BBPS, netbanking and cards, said officials. (Pic for representation)
To mark the official rollout of the initiative, mayor Sushma Kharkwal paid the user charge for her residence through the LMC's website - lmc.up.nic.in. She then urged citizens to follow her example, stressing that timely online payments would not only reduce hassle for households, but also help build a cleaner, smarter Lucknow. Chief tax assessment officer Ashok Kumar, along with citizens VM Pathak and Neha Singh, also paid their dues digitally in response to her appeal, the LMC stated in release on Friday.
As per the new structure, homeowners paying a house tax of up to ₹ 5,000 annually will pay a monthly charge of ₹ 50, while those paying above ₹ 5,000 will pay ₹ 100 per month. Citizens can also opt for a yearly lumpsum payment to avail the 10% discount. The mayor clarified that after June 30, the discount will be available only to those who pay both the user charge and house tax in full.
Citizens welcomed the online facility, saying it saves time, offers transparency, and prevents confusion over fluctuating service fees. 'Earlier, we weren't sure how much to pay for garbage collection. Now, the rates are fixed and available online,' said Rohit Sharma, a resident of Indira Nagar. Others appreciated the digital-first approach. 'I paid my charges through UPI in just a few minutes. It's smooth and convenient,' said Neha Singh, who attended the launch.
To prevent irregular collections, the mayor issued a strong message to residents: if anyone demands money for garbage collection after you've paid online, report it immediately to the mayor's helpline at 6389200005. Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar directed officials to ensure every household is informed about the revised charges and the discount scheme. 'No citizen should face confusion. The process must be citizen-friendly and transparent,' he said.
The LMC believes that regular collection will help reduce garbage dumping on roads and in drains, leading to better hygiene and a likely boost in Swachh Bharat rankings for the city.
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Time of India
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Lucknow: Homeowners in the city with properties valued up to Rs 5,000 tax annually will now save around Rs 50 every month on waste collection charges, thanks to a revised user charge system rolled out by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) on Friday. Marking the first revision since 2017, the new system replaces the earlier flat monthly fee of Rs 100 for all households. Under the updated structure, properties with an annual value up to Rs 5,000 will now be charged Rs 50 per month (Rs 600 annually), while those valued above Rs 5,000 will continue to pay Rs 100 per month (Rs 1,000 annually). Of the city's 8.3 lakh households, nearly 40% fall under the lower-value category, directly benefiting from this change. The revision aims to improve compliance, encourage regular payments, and strengthen the city's sanitation infrastructure. Mayor Sushma Kharkwal launched the service by making the first online payment through the official website followed by other residents including chief tax assessment officer Ashok Kumar, VM Pathak and Neha Singh. To promote digital transactions, the LMC is offering a 10% discount on advance payments made via UPI, BBPS net banking, or card until June 30. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Experts Urge Seniors With Muscle Loss To Take This Key Nutrient Daily Native Creatine Learn More Undo After this date, the discount will only apply if both house tax and user charges are paid together. A 10% discount also applies to all lump-sum payments. A pproved during a special executive committee meeting held on March 24, the system is designed to make billing more transparent and collection more efficient. Kharkwal urged citizens to adopt the system, highlighting its role in building a "smart and clean city." Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar instructed officials to raise awareness of the revised charges and ensure that every household is informed. Residents are encouraged to report any post-payment collection demands at the mayor's helpline: 6389200005. Lucknow: Homeowners in the city with properties valued up to Rs 5,000 tax annually will now save around Rs 50 every month on waste collection charges, thanks to a revised user charge system rolled out by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) on Friday. Marking the first revision since 2017, the new system replaces the earlier flat monthly fee of Rs 100 for all households. Under the updated structure, properties with an annual value up to Rs 5,000 will now be charged Rs 50 per month (Rs 600 annually), while those valued above Rs 5,000 will continue to pay Rs 100 per month (Rs 1,000 annually). Of the city's 8.3 lakh households, nearly 40% fall under the lower-value category, directly benefiting from this change. The revision aims to improve compliance, encourage regular payments, and strengthen the city's sanitation infrastructure. Mayor Sushma Kharkwal launched the service by making the first online payment through the official website followed by other residents including chief tax assessment officer Ashok Kumar, VM Pathak and Neha Singh. To promote digital transactions, the LMC is offering a 10% discount on advance payments made via UPI, BBPS net banking, or card until June 30. After this date, the discount will only apply if both house tax and user charges are paid together. A 10% discount also applies to all lump-sum payments. A pproved during a special executive committee meeting held on March 24, the system is designed to make billing more transparent and collection more efficient. Kharkwal urged citizens to adopt the system, highlighting its role in building a "smart and clean city." Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar instructed officials to raise awareness of the revised charges and ensure that every household is informed. Residents are encouraged to report any post-payment collection demands at the mayor's helpline: 6389200005.
Hindustan Times
15 hours ago
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LMC initiative: Citizens can pay lumpsum online to avail 10% discount on garbage collection fee
LUCKNOW The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has introduced a 10% discount on door-to-door waste collection user charges for citizens who make lumpsum payments through online modes. The discount, available till June 30, applies to payments made via UPI, BBPS, netbanking and cards, said officials. The discount, available till June 30, applies to payments made via UPI, BBPS, netbanking and cards, said officials. (Pic for representation) To mark the official rollout of the initiative, mayor Sushma Kharkwal paid the user charge for her residence through the LMC's website - She then urged citizens to follow her example, stressing that timely online payments would not only reduce hassle for households, but also help build a cleaner, smarter Lucknow. Chief tax assessment officer Ashok Kumar, along with citizens VM Pathak and Neha Singh, also paid their dues digitally in response to her appeal, the LMC stated in release on Friday. As per the new structure, homeowners paying a house tax of up to ₹ 5,000 annually will pay a monthly charge of ₹ 50, while those paying above ₹ 5,000 will pay ₹ 100 per month. Citizens can also opt for a yearly lumpsum payment to avail the 10% discount. The mayor clarified that after June 30, the discount will be available only to those who pay both the user charge and house tax in full. Citizens welcomed the online facility, saying it saves time, offers transparency, and prevents confusion over fluctuating service fees. 'Earlier, we weren't sure how much to pay for garbage collection. Now, the rates are fixed and available online,' said Rohit Sharma, a resident of Indira Nagar. Others appreciated the digital-first approach. 'I paid my charges through UPI in just a few minutes. It's smooth and convenient,' said Neha Singh, who attended the launch. To prevent irregular collections, the mayor issued a strong message to residents: if anyone demands money for garbage collection after you've paid online, report it immediately to the mayor's helpline at 6389200005. Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar directed officials to ensure every household is informed about the revised charges and the discount scheme. 'No citizen should face confusion. The process must be citizen-friendly and transparent,' he said. The LMC believes that regular collection will help reduce garbage dumping on roads and in drains, leading to better hygiene and a likely boost in Swachh Bharat rankings for the city.
Hindustan Times
15 hours ago
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Back in October 2024, I wrote on these pages of a group of 12-year-olds who had figured out an ingenious shortcut to finish their homework. Use 40% ChatGPT, 40% Google, and 20% of their own words. At first, it looked like cheating. But with the perspective of distance, I think it was something else entirely. Regulators in Europe are telling Meta (which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) not to use user data to train AI unless people clearly agree to it. (Shutterstock/ Representative photo) These children had understood a basic truth: in today's world, what matters most is the result. Not the process. Not the effort. Ask the right question and let the machine find the answer. Don't worry too much about what happens in between. This way of thinking isn't limited to schoolwork anymore, it's showing up in the way digital systems are being built world over—India included. Over the last few years, India has quietly built one of the most impressive pieces of technology. Between Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, CoWIN, Bhashini, and ONDC– collectively called IndiaStack– it is now used by millions of people. It helps people prove their identity, send money, download documents, get vaccinated, translate languages, and access other public services. But here's what makes India's system different from those in most other countries: it doesn't keep your data. In countries like the United States or across Europe, tech companies track what people do online. Every search, every click, every purchase is saved and studied. That information is then used to target ads, recommend content, and even train artificial intelligence systems. That is why The New York Times is now suing OpenAI (the builders of ChatGPT) — because its news articles were used to train a system without permission. This is why regulators in Europe are telling Meta (which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) not to use user data to train AI unless people clearly agree to it. In India, the rules—and the values—are different. The digital systems here were built with public money and designed to serve everyone. But they were not designed to spy on people. They were created to work quickly, fairly, and without remembering too much. Take Aadhaar. All it is built to do is prove a person is who the person claims to be. It cannot track where you go. Or DigiLocker. It doesn't keep copies of your CBSE marksheets, PAN cards, or insurance papers. It simply fetches these documents from the source when you ask. That's all. It's a messenger, not a filing cabinet. UPI moves money between people. But it doesn't remember what you spent it on. Long story short, these systems were built to function like light switches. They work when needed, and switch off when the job is done. The builders insisted it doesn't hold on to your personal information for longer than necessary. That's why India's digital model is being noticed around the world. It's open, fair, and inclusive. 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People provide the inputs—documents, payments, identities. The machines learn from them. And then private players build services or products that benefit from all that learning. The people who made it possible? They are left out of the conversation. In other countries, the debate is about privacy. In India, the debate must now shift to fairness. It's not about stopping AI. It's not about banning companies from using public tools. It's about asking for transparency and accountability. If a company is using data or tools from public systems to train its AI, it should say so clearly. If it benefits from public data, it should give something back—like sharing improved datasets, or allowing its models to be audited. If it's building a commercial product on public infrastructure, it should explain how it used that infrastructure in the first place. This is not regulation for the sake of it. It's basic respect for the public that made the system possible in the first place. India's digital platforms were built to serve everyone. They were not designed to store people's information, and that's what makes them special. But that openness can be misused if those who build on top of it forget where their foundations came from. It's easy to be dazzled by AI. But intelligence—human or machine—shouldn't come without responsibility. So here's the question worth asking: If the public built the digital tools, used them, trusted them, and helped them grow—why aren't they part of the rewards that artificial intelligence is now creating?
