Team Herald
VASCO: The Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) has passed a marginally surplus budget for the financial year 2016-17. The projected revenue for the financial year 2016-17 is Rs 31.76 crore while the expenditure has been pegged at Rs 31.74 crore. The budget was approved in a special meeting of the council held in the council hall on Tuesday morning and chaired by MMC Chairperson Deepak Naik.
As compared to last financial year, this year the budget estimates have been increased to 33.35 percent. With regards to the developmental works and other state and central government schemes, MMC has also increased the developmental grants by 102 percent and the total grant-in-aid anticipated by the MMC is projected at Rs 34.42 crore. Out of this, Rs 10 crore has been allocated for developmental works in all the 25 wards. Similarly, Rs 2 crore has been allocated for purchase of trucks and compactors; likewise Rs 15 crore is projected under Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojna (SJSRY) and Urban Wage Employment Programme (UWEP) as part of centrally sponsored schemes.
Projected salary and other allowances from the government stands at Rs 11 crore, octroi tax at Rs 6 crore, house tax at Rs 7 crore, signboards-posters-and hoarding tax fees at Rs 16 lakh, occupation of municipal plot rent at Rs 2.50 crore, income from markets at Rs 89 lakh, trade licence at Rs 40 lakh, construction licence at Rs 1.35 crore, interest from municipal investments at Rs 60 lakh and non-specified income at Rs 50 lakh, fines 22 lakh etc, all estimated revenue receipts is 31,76,92,000.
Meanwhile, during the budget discussion, in reply to some councillors’ question, MMC Chairperson Deepak Naik informed that the council has written to the government informing its proposal to collect octroi. He said that the council would seek the help of the local MLAs in getting government approval to collect octroi.
Naik said that accompanied by the local MLAS, he would lead a team of councillors to meet Urban Development Minister Francis D’Souza and Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, to ensure that they instruct departments concerned to expedite the process of granting approval to the council for collecting octroi.
