Eunuchs have come to rescue of the loss-making Patna Municipal Corporation. Fed up of the mounting outstanding tax dues from tax defaulters, the corporation has hired eunuchs to act as collection agents.

According to an NDTV report, the eunuchs enter houses and shops in the city with drums and loud music, embarrassing the defaulters in to clearing their dues.

The channel quotes Saraya Rani, tax collector, as saying, "There are many people who haven't paid taxes for the past ten years. We want them to pay up so that the municipal corporation does not run into losses and employees get their wages in time. I am sure we will be successful, otherwise we will pester them."

On the first day the eunuchs went out last Wednesday, the corporation had a collection of Rs4 lakh. In return, the eunuchs get four per cent of the money collected.

"This method is new. When the eunuchs reach the doorstep, the defaulters get embarrassed and have no option but to pay their tax dues," Bharat Sharma, revenue officer, Patna Municipal Corporation, told NDTV.

However, those embarrassed in to paying are not amused. "I don't understand why the corporation is using eunuchs for tax collection. They are short of manpower and it is an effort to embarrass and scare people, not an effort to collect tax," a shopkeeper told the channel.