VASCO: The Sancoale gram sabha on Sunday unanimously resolved to levy house tax on all the structures in the village of Sancoale especially in the areas of Birla-Zuarinagar slums.
The proposal was placed by gram sabha member Isidoro Tome Carvalho. When the issue was taken up for discussion, Carvalho informed that though the Sancoale has been providing all sorts of services to the households in the village including at Zuarinagar slums, many households in the village does not contribute any revenue to the panchayat merely on the grounds that they are illegal. He therefore suggested that panchayat should levy house tax and trade tax on all the structures irrespective of the fact that they are built legally or illegally but not assessed for the house taxi or trade tax.
He also suggested that the panchayat while issuing the house tax or trade tax receipts should put a specific condition that no compensation for any loss by way of demolition be claimed from the panchayat nor such issue of house tax or house number for identification be claimed as proof of ownership as the panchayat has been spending money from panchayat funds by way of providing services of pathways, drains, garbage collection etc with no revenue earned from such structures. The proposal was unanimously approved and a resolution in this regard was passed by the gram sabha.
On the occasion, the gram sabha also constituted ward wise garbage management committee and Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) of which Navin Jha was appointed a chairman and six other as members.
Meanwhile, noisy scene marred the discussion on budget; heated arguments disrupted the proceedings for over 20 minutes. However police personnel who were present to maintain law and order intervened and brought situation under control.
Later, secretary placed a budget of Rs 4.39 crore for the year 2018-19 for discussion. Few gram sabha members raised their objections for passing the budget stating that panchayat is yet to complete the accounts book and since the last year budget was not passed how gram sabha can pass the same for financial year 2018-19.
After having lengthy discussion and opposition by few members, the budget was passed on the grounds that if the same is not passed, then, the panchayat may not get any grants from the government.
At the same time Sarpanch Girish Pillai assured the gram sabha that he would hire the services of accountants to get the account book of previous panchayat body updated.
On the issue of garbage, Sarpanch Pillai informed the gram sabha that the panchayat has been paying Rs 3.5 lakh to the contractor for collecting garbage house to house besides, the contractor charges Rs 50 from the households — however at certain areas people are not paying the amount.
Later, it was resolved that panchayat should write to the Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho seeking more funds for garbage disposal as population of Sancoale is much higher than other villages in the State.
