MARGAO: All efforts of Margao Municipality to recover taxes seem to be facing hurdles despite appointing a special recovery officer. The reason appears that the entire taxation section is found to be lethargic and slow. It has also been revealed that the staffs, who have their personal interest in the issue, are not moving the files.
Herald revealed that the allegation is neither from the public nor any NGO, but Agnelo Fernandes, Chief Officer has himself observed the lethargic approach of the concerned section.
He has even found out that the taxation section moves only those files where they have interest. These are serious observations from the part of the civic body administrator which is hampering the recovery of the municipality which is in crores of rupees.
It may be recalled that after a long battle with the Directorate of Municipal Administration a special recovery officer had been recently appointed by the civic body. And the concerned officer has taken this charge since January 3 for a period of six months.
Surprisingly the Recovery Officer found himself in a confused state when he commenced his recovery process by issuing notices to the defaulters. Upon which Chief Officer on January 7 issued a notice to two of his officers.
“It is observed by me that crores of rupees of trade tax, advertisement tax, signboard tax are pending for recovery and whenever our staff goes to the site the defaulters are giving reasons that they have already filed applications which are pending in this (municipality) office”, CO stated in the notice.
He further stated that recently this council has appointed a recovery officer but whenever he visits the site they say that the applications, transfer files are pending with the taxation section.
“It appears that the entire taxation section is found to be lethargic and slow and moves only those files where they have interest”, he stated.
CO has further taken on task one of the officers by stating that the officer has failed to submit the list pertaining to the pending files.
“The tax superintendent is also not forthcoming and both have absolutely no control over their supporting staff. There is effectively no effort from the two staff whose primary duty is to recover the dues,” said the CO.
He also mentioned that in the last audit report it is shown that several illegal trades are carried out, several signboards are displayed in shops and there is loss of revenue to the tune of crores of rupees which has gone unchecked.
