Team Herald
SANGUEM: The Molcornem gram sabha in Sanguem, witnessed intense discussions centred around the proposed increase in house and business licence taxes and the appointment of a full-time panchayat secretary.
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The meeting began with a vigorous debate between local residents and the panchayat body regarding the hike in rent and trade licence taxes for shops. Sarpanch, Rajesh Gaokar, along with other panchayat members, took proactive steps to address these issues, leading to a revision of the tax rates while confirming an overall increase.
Many villagers expressed their discontent over the sudden hike in house and trade licence taxes, which had been approved in previous gram sabha meetings. However, some locals claimed they were unaware of these decisions due to low attendance in earlier sessions.
Local resident Kiran Prabhu Malkarnekar voiced his concerns, attributing the confusion to inadequate communication regarding the tax hike. “The decision to increase taxes felt sudden, and villagers were not consulted adequately. This created doubts and worries,” he stated, opposing the sharp increase. He further emphasised that any such decision should take into account the standard of living in the village.
Another villager, Sandeep Malkarnekar, noted that the issue had been discussed in the past four gram sabhas but had failed to attract attention due to low participation. “When people went to the panchayat to pay their taxes, they were shocked to see the hike. Those paying Rs 100 earlier were suddenly asked to pay Rs 400 to Rs 500,” he remarked.
In defence of the tax increase, panchayat member Fraser da Costa explained that it was necessary to revise the tax rates after 35 years. “The house and business licence taxes had not been increased since 1990. Our panchayat’s only source of income is tax collection. The decision was made in earlier gram sabha meetings, but some villagers did not attend, which led to confusion,” he clarified.
Sarpanch Rajesh Gaokar reiterated that the tax hike was reasonable when compared to similar increases in other panchayats across Goa. “We attempted to educate people through three or four gram sabha sessions, but the matter was not taken seriously. The decision is fair and essential for the panchayat’s financial health,” he asserted.
Panchayat secretary Palash Bembre provided further details on the revised tax rates. The house tax for structures with metal sheets or Mangalore tiles was reduced from Rs 4 to Rs 3 per square metre, while the rate for RCC slabs was adjusted from Rs 6 to Rs 5 per square metre. The minimum tax for any structure was fixed at Rs 100. Bembre acknowledged the villagers’ concerns regarding the sudden increase and assured that these issues were addressed following discussions with the sarpanch.
Another key resolution passed during the meeting was the appointment of a full-time secretary for the Molcornem panchayat. Currently, the panchayat secretary is tasked with managing dual responsibilities for both Xeldem and Molcornem, which has resulted in delays in addressing local concerns. Villagers unanimously supported the resolution, highlighting the necessity for dedicated administrative attention to ensure timely resolution of pending issues and the completion of various village projects.
In addition to tax-related discussions, the gram sabha also considered the reconstruction of the village panchayat building.
