PANJIM: The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has recovered a total of Rs 3, 30, 43,690 in the form of house tax, trade tax and signboard tax in a special drive since October 5, revealed by CCP Commissioner Agnelo Fernandes.
He added this amount of tax recovery in such a short period is unprecedented in CCP’s history and part of CCP’s initiative to address the outstanding tax issue.
The special recovery team consisting of market inspectors and recovery officers was headed by Accounts and Taxation Officer (ATO) Siddesh Naik and the Commissioner.
ATO Naik said that municipal inspectors, Virendra Mahale, Babush Kavlekar, Sudesh Rivonkar, Bharti Sadre along with Recovery officer Ramdas Palkar had gone around and issued demand notices to those who had outstanding arrears that were due to the Corporation.
A verification drive of trade licenses and sign boards is on. Naik said that businesses are allowed to operate only if business owners have trade licenses and that they are also checking to see if those who have put up sign boards have trade licenses. He added that notices have already been issued to the errant parties concerned.
Naik and the Commissioner along with other officials cracked down on migrant vendors operating illegally at Miramar and managed to confiscate goods worth Rs 1 lakh. Fresh fruits, lime soda and even beer were being sold on the beach front without any permission.
On another matter, the Commissioner added that two traders have signed the new leave and license agreement for the shops in the municipal market. He added that another 12 have expressed willingness to sign the agreements.
The Commissioner stated that while the corporation has started issuing eviction notices to those who aren’t willing to sign the new agreements, an opportunity is still being given to them to sign the same.
Earlier, CCP Market Committee Chairman Pramay Mainkar had explained that market inspectors are also verifying and checking to see if all the documents are in place, name of the shop owners and size of the shops.
However, CCP emphasized that this process, of serving an ultimatum to traders to sign the new agreements, is part of their initiative to resolve the long-pending market revenue issue.
