the goan I network
VASCO
The Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) is planning a reassessment of houses in its jurisdiction, and intends to take up a GIS survey and mapping project on a trial basis to assist the council in the exercise.
Defending the move, MMC Chairperson Kritesh Gaonkar said the reassessment of houses was long due, since they were last assessed in 1971. “A lot of people have demanded reassessment of houses and the proposal will be placed before the council meeting. The MMC has plans to adopt GIS survey and mapping as a pilot project in two wards to help increase the revenue of MMC.”
“In fact, there should be assessment of houses every four years, but this has not been done since 1971. I have taken this step because people want their houses to be assessed.”
“Every year, the revenue of MMC should have increased but this has not been the case. Reassessment of houses will help us increase the revenue of MMC and help us undertake developments works,” said Gaonkar. “We will appoint an agency so that all houses can be assessed and this project will be taken up on top priority,” he added.
Meanwhile, MMC Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes said the exercise of GIS survey and mapping had been successfully adopted in municipal councils at Mapusa and Margao. “The GIS survey is a new concept and if this survey is conducted, each and every ward can be mapped and we can find and recover the dues. With the GIS mapping, we can know which building is paying house tax, sanitation fees or if shops are paying trade licenses.”
“According, we can curb evasion of taxes due to this municipal council. This exercise is done in Margao and Mapusa and we are planning to adopt this on a pilot project.”
“We are having an outstanding of Rs 40 crore and we have met the agency and we are going ahead with the work. We will tender this project at an estimated cost of about Rs 2-3 lakh. We will place this before the council meeting and adopt two wards initially and if successful, extend it to all wards,” said Fernandes.
