MARGAO
The Margao Municipal Council has resolved to mop up additional revenue by revising rent and also bring in shops and establishments operating without trade license under the tax net as the Standing Committee of the Council on Friday gave its stamp of approval for a Rs 5.89 crore surplus budget.
The budget estimates will now be placed before the council meeting on March 29.
The Standing Committee chaired by MMC Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudesai mooted a number of suggestions before the budget estimate were okayed by the panel. While the budget estimates has pegged the revenue to a whopping Rs 86.93 crore, the expenditure was put at a figure of Rs 81.04, a surplus budget of Rs 5.89 crore.
Of the 86.93 crore shows on the receipt side, Rs 10 crore represents DA to Municipal employees, Rs 1.50 crore represent salary to the common cadre staff, besides Rs 10 crore for developmental works.
Babita, however, suggested that the Council hike the amount for developmental works taking into account the fact that the Margao Municipal Council has not received any government grant on this head since the last three years.
Saying that house tax remains unchanged, Babita pointed out that the Council has decided to revise the rent only after entering into fresh agreements with the parties.
On the question of bringing shops and establishments under the tax net, the Chairperson pointed out that the Standing committee has decided to issue trade license to shops and establishments the moment application is received from any party.
“We have worked out a system wherein the Civic body will issue the trade license no sooner an application comes from a party on condition the party submits the relevant documents within a stipulate time frame,” she said,
adding that the license will be liable for withdrawal if the party fails to submit the documents.
