MARGAO: Chandor Cavorim gram sabha on Sunday approved the budget for the financial year 2018-19 with a surplus of Rs 4,01,640 even after incorporating the various changes recommended by the villagers that included cuts in revenue and increase in expenditure.
The villagers demanded that the cycle tax be abolished as it is an eco-friendly means of transportation and also demanded the deduction of dog tax since the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department is collecting the same.
Besides the villagers changed the TA and DA paid to the peon from the projected Rs 5000 to Rs 8000 for the year and also increased the provision for meeting refreshment from the projected Rs 8000 to Rs 25,000 given the fact that there are various committees constituted by the panchayat that have to meet regularly.
The villagers also added a new head to hire vehicles to travel for various training programmes or meetings held at Panjim or Saligao or any other far off place and Rs 20,000 was provided for this.
On the revenue side, the villagers demanded that the actual amount for which the sopo contract was bagged be shown in the receipts from market fees hence the same was changed from Rs 1.70 lakh to Rs 2.71 lakh.
It may b recalled that the budget was to be approved at the gram sabha held on February 18 however as there were many anomalies in the budget presented, it was decided to convene an extraordinary gram sabha to approve the budget that was done this year.
The Sarpanch Celina Coelho Furtado consulted villagers including retired bankers to prepare the budge that was approved on Sunday.
