MAPUSA
With no provisions made to enhance the revenue of the council, the opposition-backed councillors of Mapusa Municipal Council termed the budget as listless and directionless.
Councilor Shashank Narvekar informed that the financial health of the council was very bad as there was no revenue generation but only expenditure.
“It’s pathetic. The budget presented in the Mapusa council is neither going to benefit anybody nor is it going to help the council to get out of its financial crisis. They should have reduced expenditure and curbed certain activities,” Narvekar said adding, “The budget has made provision only for staff salary.”
He said the job of the council was not only to collect tax and pay salary.
“The job of the council is also to increase the income so that the additional amount can be utilized for development. Today, for each and every development work we are relying on the State government,” he said.
Councillor Sudhir Kandolkar informed that the council has failed to generate income because the people in charge of running the affairs of the council have failed to do proper follow up.
“We have passed quite a few income generating proposals in the past. But somewhere those in the leadership role have failed to take it forward. There is a need to do a follow up and take those decisions to its logical end,” Kandolkar said.
According to councillor Anand Bhaidkar, the civic body has been losing income as the council has failed to take a tough call to carry out assessment of house tax.
“For the last eight years we have not done an assessment. This can give us huge revenue. People have extended their houses and some have given rooms to rent. People have to pay taxes as the council gives them service,” Bhaidkar said.
He said the council has not done anything to increase the revenue because those in the leadership role have been following appeasement policy to keep everyone happy.
