TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The gram sabha of Benaulim Panchayat on Sunday has resolved to carry out assessment of house tax and to levy garbage fees on hotels and commercial establishments from the coming financial year.
The house tax assessment will be carried out by outsourcing the same to private agencies by inviting tenders. The issue of house tax assessment figured prominently at the Sunday gram sabha chaired by Sarpanch Royla Fernandes as members discussed the issue threadbare how to go about the exercise.
After the meeting, Sarpanch Royla told the media that the gram sabha gave its nod to carry out the house tax assessment as per the Panchayat Raj Act after floating the tenders. “It has been decided to outsource the entire exercise given its magnitude so that it is carried out in a professional manner”, she said, adding that the resolution will be placed before the Panchayat body before calling for tenders inviting parties to carry out the job.
Replying to a question, she said that members of the ward development committee and the local ward member will accompany the assessment team to the hotels and residential houses to carry out the exercise. “After completion of the exercise in 3-4 months time, the entire report will be placed before the gram sabha for the benefit of the people”, she said.
The Sarpanch exuded confidence that the assessment drive will mop up huge revenue by way of house tax. “The assessment team will physically verify the houses in a bid to find out whether any changes made to the plinth area or extensions to the original area”, she said.
Presently, the Benaulim Panchayat is earning annual revenue of Rs 15-20 lakh by way of house tax, and the proposed assessment is expected to bring in revenue manifold to the panchayat body.
Meanwhile, the sarpanch informed that the gram sabha has resolved to levy garbage collection fees on the hotels and commercial establishments. When the matter came up for discussion at the Sunday gram sabha, members said that residential houses can be brought under the purview of the garbage tax only after spreading awareness amongst the villagers. “We will shortly start the awareness campaign so that even residential houses are made to pay the garbage fees from the coming financial year,” the Sarpanch added.
