Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department

Motor Vehicle Registration Automation (MVR)
Excise, Taxation & Narcotics Control Department (ETD)

Sapphire Consulting Services (SCS) Completes 10 years at Motor Vehicle Registration as the preferred Technology Partner

Business Objective

MVR collects taxes from public related to registration and usage of motor vehicles. Their main goal is to facilitate public in payment of timely taxes so that the tax revenue is maximized. They always strive hard to improve their productivity using best of the available technology. 

Challenges

MVR first introduced Automation in 1990’s via IBM’s AS400 Technology, but was largely a paper-based process with the system relegated to being little more than a record keeping, while all tasks remained reliant on paper; including the crucial work of tax calculation. When left to the individual to perform this task, it was not possible to forecast the revenue loss that inevitably creeps in where so many individuals are involved. 

An additional hurdle was the lack of a productivity-efficient communications link which forced each of the registration offices to keep isolated records. A streamlined system was needed which would obviate the manual steps as well as become a uniform method throughout all offices within the province.

Solution

First Phase of the project envisioned development of a new application replacing obsolete RPG application on AS400 along with complete data migration. The new integrated central system provided automated interfaces for different processes of the operations at all offices of MVR. The system was designed to manage taxation records, details, alterations and transfer history. Issuance of “No-Objection-Certificates (NOC)” and “Theft Reporting” was also a part of the system. It also tracked and managed physical movement of the files and all the available documents were kept in electronic format within the system which could be referred to, if required.  

Second Phase of the project comprised of the following components and processes

1. Tax Payment Facilitation portal for general public.
2. Android and iPhone mobile Apps for general public as well as ET&NC officials
3. Online Tax Payments through Alternate Delivery Channels, such as ATM, Internet Banking, Credit Card, Branchless Banking, over-the-counter counter cash payments at Bank, over-the-counter card payments at ET&NC facilities, Tax Portal & Mobile App
4. Communication (alerts, notification, general info etc.) with general public via SMS and email. 
   • Reminders about upcoming tax payment deadline. 
   • Confirmation of tax payment hitting the system. 
   • Intimation of vehicle transfer. 
   • Intimation of vehicle registration. 
5. BI reporting
6. Help desk for general public via Contact centre (phone, email, live chat)

Business Outcomes/Results

• Improved overall performance, quality, transparency and efficiency of the processes, and provided ease to vehicle owners.
• Scanning of vehicle physical documents and linking with the MVR application, further improved the process of upkeep of vehicle data.
• Public was facilitated immensely with the introduction of online digital payments. Vehicle owner can now make payments through his choice of digital payment mode from the comforts of his home/office and doesn’t have to visit ETD facility. 
• Contact center was also introduced around the same time of online payment to address public inquiries around online payments and provide courier services for delivery of tax stickers, receipts and any other necessary documents.
• Mobile application allowed public to check the status of their vehicle and make registration tax payments on the go.
• Use of Analytics increased revenue collection and reduced significantly fraudulent registration cases.
• Direct connectivity via APIs with various Law enforcement agencies assisted in reducing crime by timely sharing of vehicle information.

Technology

JAVA J2EE, IBM DB2, Oracle Enterprise Service Bus, Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition, Oracle LINUX