Herald: What is your priority now since you have been posted as the Chief Officer of the Margao Municipality?
Naveen: The Margao municipality’s financial situation is not rosy with huge outstanding arrears staring at the civic body. I have drawn up a plan of action to expedite the revenue recoveries. Things have started moving in the right directions. If everything goes well, the municipality should recover at least 50 per cent of the outstanding arrears within six months.
Herald: Revenue recovery is one thing, but there’s a drain in the revenue in almost all heads, right from trade license, advertising fees etc.
Naveen: Well, you are right that the civic body may not have tapped the revenue in respect of all these heads.
And, I am aware that there’s vast scope to mop up additional revenue. But, my immediate priority is to recover the arrears because that is one area wherein the civic body can enrich its coffers without much difficulty.
Herald: Do you have any plans to revise the budget estimates in the coming budget by incorporating the ground reality in revenue generation.
Naveen: Naveen: Well, since I took over office, I have gone through the budget estimates of the previous year and even the audit report to get myself accustomed with the Municipal financial situation.
If the budget estimates do not match with the actual ground reality, I will not hesitate to revise the estimates in the coming budget.
