Ponda Municipality’s decision to introduce electronic collection of sopo may leave it happy but not other Municipalities aren’t amused
As Ponda plans to start electronic collection of Sopo Tax, questions are beingasked if the new system will mean a drop in Sopo collection and a reduction in transparencyand accountability.
Lastweek Ponda Municipal Council stuck to its promise of deciding to collect sopotax itself from the market. Sopo is a daily tax charged by Municipalities’ inGoa. “Earlier we tendered the Sopo Tax contract for a fee of Rs 12 lakhannually but we realized the contractor was collecting more in Sopo resultingin a loss of revenue for the municipality. We have decided to go ahead with thecollection ourselves,” said Chairperson Rukmi Dangui confirming the Council’smove.
Lastyear PMC had tendered the collection work to a private party and thechairperson had alleged that the party was charging exorbitant rates fromvendors. Irked by this, the civic body did not renew the tender.
PMChas revised the tax tariff that range in multiples of 5. PMC is currentlycharging traders as per the old rate of 1, 3 and 5 as the new rates are yet tocome into force. The chairperson pointed out the PMC has deployed six staffmembers to collect sopo from vendors and that the daily collection is around15,000 per day.
“Thesystem of collecting their own Sopo tax is innovative and good. But it shouldnot be a man-power burden on the municipality. If successful, othermunicipalities could follow suit,” said Urban Development minister, Francis D’Souza.Doing away with subcontracting will mean an increase in revenue for themunicipality without sweating. Contractors brought in extra vendors and even illegalvendors and hawkers into the market. ThePMC will have to manage the Sopo collection well. We should increase revenueand curb the number of illegal vendors who occupy the market or pavements saidthe minister.
Lastmonth the Ponda municipal council's monthly meeting was adjourned for thesecond time in three days without any business conducted as the councilorsrefused to confirm the minutes of the sopo tax collection during April's meeting.
TheMargao Municipal Council in April had awarded its Sopo collection contract forthe entire municipal market area excluding certain areas for contract stallsand special kiosks for a whopping Rs 30.08 lakh to the existing contractor AlanSayeed Babul from Housing Board for the year financial year 2012-2013.
Thebiggest hurdle of MMC has been the unauthorized vendors and hawkers sittingalong Margao town’s busy roads and unwilling to relocate claiming to be payingSopo tax, a similar problem faced by the PMC.
“Wewill have electronic ticket collection machines and appoint collectors oncontract basis and collect the tax ourselves, the electronic systemwill generate a printed bill and the total amount collected will have to tallythe collection with no room for red-tape, concluded PMC Chief Officer.
