MAPUSA: The Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) has unanimously approved a surplus budget of Rs 18.97 crore for the year 2019-2020 at a special council meeting held on Monday. 

MMC Chairperson Ryan Braganza presented the budget in the presence of Chief Officer Clen Madeira, Accounts-cum-Administrative Officer Bhanudas Naik and Municipal Engineer Deniz Lobo.

The budget has an opening balance of Rs 27.29 crore; total receipts for the year 2019-20 is Rs 63.45 crore and total expenditure is Rs 71.94 crore.

The council has estimated, for the next financial year, an income of Rs 4.50 crore in the form of house and land tax, Rs 4 crore as rent from buildings, shops, and stalls; Rs 1.20 crore as sopo, Rs 4.5 crore in the form of construction licence fee and Rs 1 crore in form of interest from banks on deposits.

Garbage fee from houses is estimated at Rs 1 crore and from the market at Rs 10 lakh, while tax on trades and profession is estimated at Rs 55 lakh. 

Speaking on the budget, Councillor Sandeep Falari said that his apprehension is that some of the figures mentioned in the budget statement are not in tune with reality.

“They have been inflated and hence it’s time to sit down and tune the figures with reality. We have not been serious in terms of recovery and implementation either from the receipts side or payment side. We are just putting these figures on the paper but we have to see that those figures are actually realized,” Falari said.

Responding to Falari’s concerns, the chairperson said that the MMC is lacking as far as recovery in concerned. “It does not look like we are committed to our proposal. The Chief Officer and Accounts Department will need to look into the matter,” Braganza said.