Rent less than cost of a book!

PANJM, JAN 15
The Singbal bookstore in the heart of the church square in Panjim is a quaint and endearing landmark. Its owners, tenants of the building owned by the Communidade of the central zone, pay a rent whose monthly amount is even more endearing. It’s perhaps less than the cost of some of the books it sells. Hold your breath. The rent is a paltry sum of Rs 550.
Land prices are steep in Panjim and the right rent to pay for a bookstore near the Panjim church would be close to Rs 20,000.
But this is what ails communidades. Their economic condition is further compounded by such low rents fixed for their tenants for years.
The annual rent collection by the Central Zone of the Cmmunidade from the same premises, which has nine other tenants is a mere Rs 33,181. When contacted, the administrator pleaded ignorance as to why the rent rates have not been revised for years altogether. 
Administrator of Central Zone Vasudev Shetye, however said that a proposal to increase rent has been sent to the government.  
“The Executive engineer of PWD has assessed the premises and rent has been fixed on par with the market rate. We are awaiting the government’s reply,” Shetye said. If approved, the financial worries will certainly ease. The central zone stands to earn Rs 1,17,934 a month as against Rs 33,180, a year.