MAPUSA: The Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) has approved a budget of Rs 59.40 crore for financial year 2022-23.
A special Council meeting was conveyed to discuss and approve the annual budget for 2022-23. The budget was presented by MMC chairperson Shubhangi Vaigankar in the presence of chief officer Sitaram Sawal, accountant Smita Phaldessai and municipal engineer Prashant Narvekar.
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The chairperson Vaigankar presented the surplus budget where in the opening balance is Rs 43.24 crore, total receipts for the year 2022-23 is pegged at Rs 59.40 crore and the total expenditure is Rs 54.82 crore following discussion over the surplus budget of Rs 47.83 crore including closing balance was passed unanimously.
The total budget of Mapusa municipality is worth Rs 102.65 crore including the opening balance. The general receipt for 2022-23 has been estimated at RS 24.02 crore, with capital receipts of Rs 27.67 crore and suspense receipts of Rs 7.70 crore.
However, the general payment for the year 2022-23 has been estimated at Rs 29.17 crore with capital payment Rs 20.72 crore and suspense payment of Rs 4.92 crore.
The civic body for next financial year has estimated an income of Rs 4.50 crore from houses and land tax, Rs 10 lakh from imposition of house tax on illegal houses in Mapusa, tax on industrial estate shed of Rs 1.23 crore. Garbage tax from houses is pegged at Rs 1.80 crore and from market, the tax is pegged at Rs 7 lakh, tax on trades and profession Rs 1.20 crore, Rs 40 lakh from tax on advertisements, signboards, posters etc, income from the market in the form of sopo at Rs 1.30 crore, Rs 4.50 crore as income of rent from buildings, shops, stalls, Rs 3.50 crore from construction fees while interest from banks on municipal funds is Rs 10.85 lakh.
“Illegal structures are enjoying all benefits while the tax payers are overburdened. Assessments of taxes have not been done due to which the council is losing revenue. Municipality is taking any initiative to increase revenue. Budget provisions are made but government funds don’t come, if the budget doesn’t benefit people then what is it used for? We request a realistic budget”, said councillor Shashank Narvekar.
The chairperson Vaigankar said, “Most of our funds go in payment of staff salaries. The previous councils only inflated the budgetary figures but failed to make adequate provision for salaries. They also failed to carry out house tax assessment. We have presented a provisional budget. Since assessment of taxes has not been done over decades, the council is losing out on revenue and we will take up assessment.”
