TEAM HERALD
CANACONA: It will be taxing times for the tax defaulters in Canacona, as the Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) has initiated steps to recover over Rs 55 lakh outstanding in various taxes and is also to reassess house taxes.
“The CMC has asked the administration to be firm in tax recovery as the civic body is reeling under serious financial crises after deficit of more than half crore rupees has piled up. The CMC has already paid over Rs 30 lakh to the government treasury on various fronts and will find itself in dire straits even to pay monthly salaries to its staff, which amount to Rs10 lakh,” said CMC Chairperson Madhav Dessai.
“Every council in the past had failed to make concerted efforts to recover the arrears as they were reluctant to antagonize businessmen or their vote bank. But the CMC’s financial position is very precarious now and it is high time that the CMC administration pulls up its socks to recover the taxes from various defaulters,” Dessai added.
If sources at CMC are to be believed, a list of defaulters prepared by the council indicates whopping arrears of Rs 55.62 lakh and notices to defaulters are being prepared and dispatched for show-cause and recovery of dues.
“Many people only want to earn for themselves and fail to pay their due taxes. How will the CMC have funds to administer and run the municipality? It is high time that the CMC generates funds by getting people to pay their taxes,” reasoned Dessai.
According to sources, the arrears include house tax (Rs 12.90 lakh), trade tax (Rs 16 lakh), signboard tax (Rs 6.39 lakh), rent (Rs 7 lakh), space fee for market area (Rs 5 lakh) and space fee for kiosks (Rs 8 lakh), besides other miscellaneous tax recoveries.
Refusing to allow political interference in the functioning of the council, Dessai said the administration has been directed to reassess house taxes, which has been stagnant for several decades.
“The cost of everything has gone up, but the CMC has failed to reassess house taxes as per current rates and residents continue to pay a paltry tax of Rs 75 even for large houses,” Dessai said.
