MARGAO: Several people are found to be in a state of shock and confusion, as panchayat offices have issued notices to pay one per cent of the total cost of construction of houses towards the Construction Workers Welfare Board. However, the villagers from across the State are found to be ignorant about the law.
Herald has revealed that the failure from the part of panchayat offices has led to this sudden serving of notices upon the circular issued by the Block Development Offices.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
As per the orders of the government, the people who have constructed their houses or bungalows etc in 2009 and onwards will have to pay one per cent of the total cost of the construction project.
The people have expressed shock after receiving the sudden notices.
It has been reported that several people across the State are on the receiving end of such notices, wherein the concerned panchayat secretaries have directed to pay the amount within 15 days of time, and that too when the people are still struggling to cope up with the situation in wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Loutolim villagers, many have received such types of notices in these days, besides there are reports from other panchayats directing the owners of the houses to pay the amount at the earliest.
Notices issued by the panchayat secretaries states that as per Government of Goa, Department of Labour order reference number December 22, 2002 dated December 29, 2008 that the labour cess shall be collected at the rate of one per cent of the total cost of construction project by the village panchayat and to be remitted to the Goa Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board from the year January 1, 2009.
As per the calculation one has to pay Rs14,000 as a labour cess on the Rs 14 lakh estimated cost of construction.
BDO-1 office of Salcete in the circular related to the same has stated that some of the panchayats are not collecting cess while issuing construction licences and executing civil works for a very long time.
“As per the law the concerned panchayat should have collected the amount at the time of issuing construction licence but it has been brought to our notice that many panchayat offices have failed in doing so,” said Amitesh Shirvoikar, BDO, Salcete.
He also admitted that sudden notices will definitely create confusion amongst the people. However, there is a backlog which needs to be recovered.
Caetano Fernandes, a Nuvem local, who was forced to pay the nearly Rs 30,000 as the labour cess said that he was very much upset when received the notice.
“Actually, this creates a major setback to the people who have constructed their houses in recent days. The concerned panchayat should have made people aware about the law at the right time or before issuing the notices. Now, many will find it difficult to pay the amount,” he stated.
Caetano is also of the opinion that people are facing tough times due to the hike in prices of construction materials, and this one per cent of labour cess will add more to their burden.
