MARGAO
Monday saw a mad rush of tax payers at the Margao Municipal Council, as Day One collection of taxes in the new financial year crossed the Rs 15 lakh figure mark.
The unending and serpentine queue of tax payers at the tax payment counter of the Municipal building finally ended just at the end of office hours. Civic employees manning the cash payment counter were seen holed up at the office well after office hours, counting the cash that flowed into the Municipal coffers on Monday.
If officials are to be believed, Day One of tax collection on Monday saw the civic body earning revenue pegged over Rs 15 lakh, with the house tax and garbage fees topping the list. The revenue earned by the civic body through trade licence is pegged at Rs 3.5 lakh, besides construction licence and other revenue pegged around Rs 4.5 lakh.
In fact, around 450 tax payers stood in the queue only to pay the house tax and garbage fees at the payment counter. The total revenue earned by the civic body on house tax and garbage fees is pegged close to Rs 9 lakh. Officials in the know pointed out that amongst those who made the mad rush to pay the fees includes tax payers locked in family dispute over property. This is one reason why many a tax payer has reserved a slot late Sunday night by placing bottles, slippers, bags et al at the Municipal door, hoping to make it to the tax counter when the office opens on Monday.
Employees manning the tax counter pointed out that the rush was such that they had hardly any time to take the lunch break and had to get back to work considering the beeline made by the tax payers throughout the day.
Margao Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar also made his presence felt at the tax payment counter in the morning to take stock of the situation and to ensure that the tax payers effect the payment in a hassle-free manner.
