Most of the panchayats in Salcete taluka have been very lackadaisical about collecting revenue due to it either from the taxes or rent of premises leased or even auctioning the market fee collection as indicated by the Audit Reports for the year 2016-17.
With the exception of 8 panchayats others have not been able to collect even 50 per cent of the taxes they were supposed to collect with Seraulim panchayat collecting only 18.27 per cent of the targeted amount while Cavelossim ranked first having collected 71.76 per cent of the taxes due to it.
Chandor Cavorim ranked second in tax collection having collected 66.41 per cent of the taxes due while Ambelim that collected 62.53 per cent ranked third. While Rachol collected 50.87 per cent of the taxes, Sarzora, Camurlim, Paroda and Carmona collected 53 per cent.
Village panchayats of Assolna, Sao Jose de areal, Dramapur Sirlim, Colva, Nuvem, Navelim, Davorlim Dicarpale and Telaulim collected between 30 to 35 per cent of the taxes while Macasana, Guirdolim, Varca, Orlim and Loutolim collected between 35 to 40 per cent.
Velim, Curtorim and Raia collected taxes between 41 to 45 per cent of the targeted amount and Rachol along with Betalbatim collected between 45 to 50 per cent.
Seraulim had the worst record having collected on 18.27 per cent while Rumdamol Davorlim with a collection of 21.41 per cent was slightly better. Chinchinim Deussua collected 24.64 per cent and Benaulim collected 29.28 per cent of the taxes.
The position is repeated with collection of rent of leased out premises with Aquem Baixo panchayat not having renewed the lease agreements since 1999 and in Loutolim none of the persons who have taken 21 shops on lease are paying rent. Of these seven occupying shops in the old building have not paid rent since 2012-13 when the building was declared unsafe and those managing 14 shops in the new building owe the panchayat Rs. 1.45 lakhs.
The owners of the 16 shops owe the Ambelim panchayat an amount of Rs. 6.61 lakhs a portion of which has to be shared with the Velim panchayat too. Incidentally the Bank of India owes Velim panchayat Rs. 1.28 lakhs.
Various government department are not paying the rent regularly. The Police owe Rumdamol Davorlim Rs. 2.74 lakhs for using its premises as a police out post. Raia panchayat has to be paid Rs. 1.16 lakhs by the Health Department and Rs. 2.38 lakhs by the Education Department while Curtorim has not been paid rent of Rs. 32,381 by Veterinary Services and Rs. 81,197 by the BSNL.
The Electricity Department has to pay Curtorim Rs. 1,01 lakhs, Paroda Rs. 1.08 lakhs, Guirdolim Rs. 1.58 lakhs, Assolna Rs. 42,200 and Chinchinim rent of 15 years which has not been paid.
As far as auctioning the sopo collection from the market vendors the auditors were silent on the situation in Sarzora, Sao Jose de Areal, Macasana, Camurlim, Aquem Baixo, Davorlim Dicarpale, Loutolim, Orlim and Seraulim and noted that Chinchinim has not auctioned but is collecting the sopo directly.
While Telaulim failed to auction fishing rights to lakes and ponds, Velim did not hold the auction and hence Ambelim that shares the auction earnings also suffered. The auditors pointed out that Colva set the initial bid at Rs. 5 lakhs which was lower than the Rs. 14 lakhs fixed the previous year.
At Rumdamol Davorlim who bagged the contract by quoting only Rs. 300 above the initial bid failed to pay the panchayat Rs. 68,300 and the previous contractor has to still pay the panchayat an amount of Rs. 20,075.
Interestingly the market collection contract was bagged in Dramapur Sirlim by a person bidding just Rs. 100 above the initial bid of Rs. 7,000 and at Seraulim where the initial bid was Rs. 3,600 the successful bidder offered to pay only Rs. 150 more.
