Margao civic body to shame tax defaulters on its website

Tax evaders in `50,000 bracket to be listedrrthe goan I network rMARGAOrrIf yes, then better hurry to the civic body and clear off the house tax dues, as the municipality has compiled a list of tax defaulters owing tax dues up to Rs 50,000, whose names will soon find a mention on the official website of tax defaulters. rAnd, hazard a guess as to who are these tax defaulters figuring in the Rs 50,000 tax bracket as per a tentative list compiled by the Margao civic body. Well, the list appears endless, but preliminary information suggests that the tax defaulters range from banks to prominent business establishments, besides households. rMMC Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudesai told The Goan on Wednesday that the compilation of the list of house tax defaulters suggests that it is huge list of defaulters, including banks and business houses located in the commercial capital. And, the chairperson said that she has given her nod to the civic babus to display the names of the house tax defaulters, with liabilities to the tune of Rs 50,000, on the official municipal website. r“These tax defaulters have been habitual defaulters and the municipality would not be at fault if their names are uploaded on the municipal website,” she said, adding that the tax defaulters should come forward and pay their dues to the civic body. rIncidentally, in a bid to tighten the screws of the tax defaulters, and coupled with the fact that Urban Development Minister, Francis D’Souza is monitoring the recovery mechanism put in place by the civic body, the Margao municipality has constituted three different teams to tone up the revenue recoveries. rThe three separate teams will be headed by the Accounts and Taxation Officer, the Tax Superintendent and a head clerk in charge of the taxation section. With outstanding tax arrears close to Rs 10 crore that is staring in the face of the civic body, the municipality plans to move door-to-door with the three separate teams to recover the arrears. As per a system being put in place, the three teams are mandated to place their weekly report in the chamber of the Chief Officer every Friday. rThe MMC chairperson said while the three teams are being put in place, they will kick off their campaign only after the ongoing audit of the municipal accounts is completed by the state audit team. “Our new Chief officer is taking charge on Thursday. We would expect the new Chief Officer to just concentrate only on one issue, the revenue recoveries and enriching the civic coffers,” rshe said.