MARGAO: In a startling revelation it has come to light that Tourism Minister Manohar (Babu) Azgaonkar pays only Rs 50 per month as rent for one shop (FAIXA No 15) and only Rs 196 for another shop described as a “wooden enclosure stand on property known as Alfonso de Albuquerque Market”.
This was revealed by the Margao Municipality in an RTI reply to Pio Barretto. He received the reply 16 months after applying for the same.
According to the reply, there are a total of 561 shops and properties belonging to the municipality, which have been leased out. The lowest rent collected by the municipality for shops is a mere Rs 19 per month. Most of the leaseholders are paying around Rs 100 to Rs 500 per month as rent to the municipality.
Kurade Petrol Pump, Virginkar Petrol Pump, Keni Petrol Pump and Kavalekar Petrol Pump pay Rs 36,853, Rs 33,232, Rs 18,501 and Rs 27,759 respectively. Interestingly, the MMC has left blank the trade licence column, which corresponds to these petrol pumps, possibly indicating that they do not have a trade licence.
According to the RTI, only 15 of the 591 shops have trade licences. “For the last three years, not a single rupee has been collected from these 591 shops as sanitation fees”, informed Savio Coutinho, Shadow Council of Margao convener.
Coutinho said one individual has converted a Tinto in the new market into shops but the municipality is still collecting the old fees.
“Since these establishments are now shops, the MMC should collect a higher rent”, said Coutinho.
“The leases have expired but the municipality has not taken any action to auction the shops or renew the leases. Many shops are sold and leased multiple times, which is why the municipality cannot renew the lease”, he said.
Coincidently, the chairperson had also pointed out that some shops belonging to the municipality have been transferred in their names without the municipality being made a party.
“These issues are pending for more than four years since the chairperson has taken over because she spends only one hour in the municipality. Probably there is no one else who can give more time but finally, the municipality is running in a loss because the council is not serious in resolving this issue”, Coutinho alleged.
