MARGAO
In an unprecedented move unheard in the recent history of the Margao Municipal Council, civic employees and workers have been directed to report to work on Saturday for the recovery of the outstanding tax arrears running into over Rs 18-odd crore.
MMC Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes on Friday issued a special order to the staff and employees of the administration, taxation, technical, accounts, recovery, sanitary and municipal library departments to remain present on Saturday between 10 am to 1 pm even though it is a second Saturday.
The Chief Officer has initiated the special weekend recovery drive in a bid to ensure prompt recovery of the huge outstanding tax dues owed to the Margao Municipal Council by business establishments and citizens alike. “The exercise on Saturday is an additional effort to ensure tax payers get a rare opportunity to repay the taxes owed to the MMC”, he said.
He added: “I am keen on resolving this matter at the earliest. Instructions have been issued to the employees of MMC that absence on this special recovery day will not be acceptable for the extra hours on Saturday towards this drive”
He said the Chairperson, vice-chairperson and councillors are also requested to take active part in this special drive to help this council recover its rightful dues.
“While it is regretted that those doing business within MMC jurisdiction and despite utilising every quality service from MMC in prompt sanitary and garbage collection, it is very unfortunate that large amount of arrears in tax recovery have still remained unpaid”, Agnelo added.
He wondered why the civic body is given a step motherly treatment at the time of annual tax payments when the municipality is trying its best to cater from creator to the grave (birth cert to death cert & all in between to facilitate).
The recovery drive has been set in motion after the civic body struggled to clear the salary payments of the Municipal employees for the month of September. The MMC has still not cleared the wages of the daily wage and contract workers till date.
Households and business establishments, who have been issued notices as their tax dues have crossed the Rs 10,000 figure will be targeted in today’s drive. The CO was clear that those who have outstanding amounts have been specially requested to clear the dues before the entire situation gets into a more proactive recovery mode.
Incidentally, a concerted recovery by the civic body on Friday helped to recover Rs 21 lakh in a single day.
