PANAJI
With the earlier reluctancy to renew the licenses, the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has now granted in-principle approval to renew the trade licenses of off-shore casinos.
CCP Mayor Uday Madkaikar informed in the press that the casino operators have been asked to submit fresh applications and that the final decision will be taken during a council meeting after a few days.
CCP will get a revenue of Rs 52 lakh towards various fees from the casinos, informed Mayor Madkaikar.
The Panaji Mayor said that various fees have been increased and through this, CCP is getting better revenue than before.
CCP is getting revenue from the casinos towards trade licenses, garbage collection, and signboards.
Earlier, the mayor and local MLA Atanasio Monserrate had opposed the casinos giving an ultimatum to shift the ships from the Mandovi. But now the CCP has come on a compromise and allowed these casinos to operate temporarily.
"We have allowed these casinos temporarily and hope that they will be shifted from the Mandovi," said Makaikar stating that the government has a plan to shift the casinos.
