MARGAO: A surplus budget of Rs 3.71 crore was presented by Margao Municipal Council chairperson on Friday.
The budget meeting also discussed and passed resolutions on Sopo tax, garbage collection fees, hoarding fees and other issues pertaining to revenue.
The Council has resolved to enhance the Sopo tax tender amount to Rs 50 rupees from the previous Rs 35-40 lakh. The MMC has also decided to go tough on the recovery of fees on hoardings.
The council has decided to issue a public notice demanding payment of outstanding dues and directing removal of illegal hoardings.
“From April, we have to start thinking on the recovery of charges of hoardings as there are large number of them that are not paying fees,” the MMC chairperson said.
On Octroi collection, the MMC has resolved to have a joint meeting of all the municipal councils of South Goa and write to the government seeking permission for its collection.
Deputy Chairperson Dorris Texeira questioned MMC staff as to why garbage fees worth over Rs 8 lakh was not collected from the commercial establishments. The probing question of the deputy chief unearthed a ‘shocking’ revelation that the file containing the data of the collection has gone missing from the MMC. Now the municipality has decided to file a police complaint on the officer responsible for its disappearance.
The proposal made by Urban Development Minister Francis D’Souza for the restoration of Camra De Margao Municipality in old Market was also welcomed in the meeting.
“He has requested us to send a proposal for restoration and we have to send a resolution to set the ball rolling from our side,” Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudessai said.
“We have to file a report on the stability of the structure as it is quite old,” said Arthur D’Silva.
