MARGAO
It’s official. What was all along believed that the Margao Municipal does not tap the city’s status as the state’s commercial capital to mop up revenue and enrich its coffers has finally come true.
A survey conducted by a private agency Transerve in the heart of the commercial town, in ward no 14 to be precise, has revealed that the municipality has lost precious revenue amounting to
crores of rupees, either by way of house tax, trade
license, fees on displaying sign boards et al.
Exposing the MMC taxation section as well the officials manning the department, the survey has come up with statistics suggesting a huge gap between the actual establishments operating on the ground and those registered with the civic body, indicating that the council has lost precious revenue over the years.
Take the case of the total properties and the house tax revenue earned by the civic body. While the municipal records show that a total of 4441 structures are located in ward no 14, the survey has put the total number of properties to 5410 structures in the ward “ a difference of close to 1000 structures.
While the current revenue from the 4441 properties is pegged at Rs 40.30 lakh, the survey has come out with a startling figure, stating that the civic body would have earned around Rs 3.16 crore as house tax from the 5410 properties in the ward.
Similar is the situation as far as the commercial and trade tax revenue earned by the civic body goes. While the MMC data has put the number of commercial establishments in ward no 14 to 1617, data collected by the agency shows the ward plays host to around 2358 establishments, a difference of 741 establishments. On the revenue front, the MMC has lost huge revenue from trade tax. While the MMC tax details show a revenue of Rs 8.46 lakh by way of trade tax, survey has put the revenue on this front to Rs 12.34 lakh.
The situation vis-Ã -vis the signboards is no different. While the MMC statistics has put the total signboards to around 1401, around 3960 signboards find mention in the survey conducted by the private agency, again a loss of revenue to the civic body.
The civic body has been also been caught napping on the collection of sanitation fees from ward No 14. While the MMC data has put the sanitation fee figure to Rs 84,07200, the survey has put the revenue on this head to a whopping Rs 1.48 crore.
During the survey, the agency came across many establishments in some of the commercial buildings, which have not been assessed for house tax by the civic body or remained closed. Take the case of the Reliance Trade Centre. Around 156 establishments, all commercial, have been found in the complex, of which only 15 establishments were found paying house tax, while only 45 shops were found open in the complex.
While the agency will officially submit the report to the civic body in the near future, sources said the survey report by itself will not make any difference to the municipal revenue unless the council implement the report in both letter and spirit.
Commenting on the report, Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai said it will be placed before the council as and when a copy of the survey is received officially.
“The municipality will take a call on how to go about and bring the establishments under the tax net and enrich the civic coffers,” she added.
