PORVORIM: The Electronic Dance Music (EDM) festivals owe the government a whopping Rs 6.82 crore approximately with Supersonic organizers to pay the highest Rs 2.40 crore approx to the commercial taxes for the year 2013-14.
As per details revealed by Tourism Minister Manohar ‘Babu’ Azgaonkar, the grand total both – Sunburn and Supersonic organizers amount to Rs 6,82,88,454.
While Percept Live, organizers of Sunburn have an outstanding amount of Rs 1,75,50,573 to the police department for the year 2012-13 to 2015-16, Supersonic organizers Viacom 18 have arrears of Rs 44,47,651 to Goa police for providing security during the event days for the period from 2013-14 to 2015-16.
As far as arrears to the commercial taxes is concerned, both organizers have to pay an amount of Rs 4.58 crore approx of which Percept has to pay Rs 2.18 crore approx while the latter has to make a payment of Rs 2.40 crore approx.
The last financial year did not witness any of the two festivals in the state as Viacom18, which conducted its first EDM in Goa in 2013, shifted to Pune and Percept Live also pulled out of Goa and moved the 10th edition of the festival to Pune after facing hurdles for obtaining permission.
Meanwhile, various government authorities such as Commercial Taxes, Directorate of Panchayat, Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority, Excise department, police department and department of tourism have earned over Rs 20.46 crore from the two organizers in the last five years.
In the written reply to the question tabled by Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, the minister – who has always shown his inclination to bring back the events to Goa, stated that such kind of festivals are one of the factors for witnessing increase in the tourists arrival. The total number of domestic and international arrivals during the EDM festival month of December rose to over 10 lakh in 2016 to over 4.79 lakh in the corresponding month of year 2012.
“These kind of events entice additional tourists especially music lovers during the festival duration to the state. It generates revenue to the exchequer as well as to the hoteliers, taxi / tour operators, locals etc. at large, engaged in rendering various tourism related services.
The EDM festivals of high magnitude like that of Supersonic and Sunburn are widely publicised around the globe and telecasted live in various parts of the World. Such publicity helps the state of Goa to attract new and quality tourists,” Azgaonkar said. This response was to question seeking reason for permitting private parties to conduct festivals like EDM, etc.
