PORVORIM: Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane on Thursday assured Members in Legislative Assembly that the government will rationalise taxes of all municipal councils as per its classification.
Replying to a starred question jointly tabled by Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai and Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira regarding increase in municipal taxes, the Minister said that most of the municipal councils had not increased house tax for the last one year.
Also some of the councils did not have the details regarding total number of unauthorised commercial establishments without any house number while, record was not available in at least five municipal councils.
Rane said that the assessment of property survey is being conducted by the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) in order to ascertain such details by appointing agency M/s Kolbro Group Pvt Ltd.
Reacting to Sardesai’s question whether the government had explored other means of increasing revenue generation for the municipal councils instead of hiking taxes, the Minister told him that the GIS mapping of all the properties of municipal areas is under way.
“The work has already started in North Goa while, the tender process for GIS mapping in South Goa is under process. Once this GIS mapping is completed, the taxes will be levied on actual area of the property mapped and confirmed by the council. Further, commercial buildings are being constructed and given in possession of the council to increase their revenue,” Rane said.
The Fatorda MLA refused to accept the Minister’s statement that the Margao Municipal Council hadn’t maintained the records of unoccupied residential flats, houses and shops within its jurisdiction and disclosed that a sample survey was conducted in Ward 14 of MMC from November 2017 to January 2018.
“The total number of structures in Ward 14 is 5,420 out of which 4,410 are registered. The total number of commercial establishments is 2,358 out of which 1,617 establishments are registered on tax books. Similarly, the total number of signboards is 3,960 but only 1,400 are registered,” Sardesai said.
Also one commercial complex in ward 14 had 156 establishments of which only 15 were paying tax to the municipality. He said that annual revenue of the ward 14 alone could have been a whopping Rs 3.16 crore but only Rs 40.30 lakh was collected by the municipality thereby causing a revenue loss of Rs 2.16 crore.
Sardesai demanded to know if the government would initiate action and whether the 100-page sample GIS mapping survey report was made available. He also wanted an assurance from the government that it will not hike taxes pending GIS mapping survey and to revoke the revised sanitation charges by the Margao municipal council
The Minister said that he will inquire with the Margao chief officer and the Director of Municipal administration (MDMA) regarding the sample GIS mapping survey and added that the GIS mapping will help the councils to generate revenues.
The Minister also agreed to Margao MLA Digambar Kamat’s suggestion to ]rationalise taxes of all municipal councils as per their classification.
