PONDA: The Borim panchayat has decided to increase house and commercial taxes after a gap of two decades. During a media briefing, Sarpanch Domingo Vaz stated that the panchayat is facing difficulties in meeting various expenses.
There has been no revision in taxes for the past fifteen years, and the panchayat has also lost revenue from octroi taxes on petrol pumps, which used to amount to several lakhs of rupees annually but has been collected by the State Government for the past decade. The village is home to two petrol pumps.
Under the new tax structure, the government has proposed a rate of Rs 40 per sq mtr per year for RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete) structures. The rate for RCC structures was only Rs 5 per sq mtr per year, for the last ten to fifteen years. Now, the panchayat will increase it to Rs 28.
Similarly, for masonry houses, the government has proposed a rate of Rs 40 per sq mtr, while the panchayat has fixed it at Rs. 14. Mud houses will be subject to an annual rate of Rs. 50.
Regarding commercial tax, the government has proposed a rate of Rs 200 per sq mtr for RCC structures, while the panchayat has set it at Rs. 140. For non-RCC structures, the government proposes a rate of Rs. 200 per sq mtr, while the panchayat has fixed it at Rs 70 per sq mtr.
