MAPUSA:
The Gram Sabha also decided to charge a nominal house tax on locals from next financial year.
While raising the issue of house tax, Eknath Nagvenkar, a former panch, reminded the Gram Sabha that the BJP had promised the people of Goa to abolish house tax in panchayat areas when it comes to power.
“Have the BJP forgotten its promise? I am passing a resolution condemning the State government for not honouring its promise,” Nagvenkar said.
Another former panch member, Cleotilda Braganza informed the Gram Sabha that Panchayat Minister Rajendra Arlekar wants to impose infrastructure tax on the people of Goa.
While passing the panchayat’s budget for 2016-17, acting Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira said the panchayat will have to undertake an exercise to identify total number of houses in the village panchayat to implement the decision to impose a nominal house tax on locals in the village.
“There are many locals in the village who have converted part of their houses into guest rooms. We need to identify and separate residential homes from those given to let, which will be charged as commercial tax. This will take time,” Sequeira said and decided to push the request of minimal house tax from next financial year onwards.
The acting sarpanch also brought to the notice of the Gram Sabha that the State government owes the panchayat over ` 2 crore from octroi tax.
