PANJIM: Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) Mayor Rohit Monserrate on Tuesday said the Corporation has ‘corrected the mistakes of the past’ by reducing and fixing a uniform tax rate for all commercial establishments.
Monserrate said that the decision was taken by the Corporation to revise the tax structure after it received complaints from professionals and other establishments that the CCP’s taxes were ‘exorbitant’ when compared with other urban local bodies.
As per the revised structure which has come into effect from April 1, 2023, all commercial establishments will have to pay a uniform rate of Rs 237.6 per square metre.
The tax levied on residential building flat and bungalow has remained unchanged and the owners will continue to pay Rs 97.2 and Rs 102.6 per square metre respectively.
“We had received complaints from (professionals and businessmen) from Patto-Panjim area that taxes are too high, which I agree. So, considering their grievances we have reduced the taxes. We have now rationalised tax structure,” he said.
Monserrate alleged that the then mayor Surendra Furtado had approved exorbitant rates of taxes and without notifying the same it was implemented by the CCP, after which a group of professionals approached the High Court of Bombay at Goa, seeking relief.
“In 2016, when Surendra Furtado was the mayor, they had passed a resolution increasing all the different taxes and it was not ratified by anybody and not gazetted. So, people dragged the Corporation to court. Depending on the court order, we will have to refund all of that money. We are now correcting all the mistakes from the past,” Monserrate said.
Deputy Mayor Sanjeev Naik said that the citizens of Panjim have wholeheartedly welcomed the decision of the CCP to lower the taxes.
“People are welcoming our decision. It’s a big relief for them and they don’t have to suffer anymore,” Naik said.
“Under the leadership of Rohit Monserrate, the CCP has fulfilled the demand of the people. We are happy that the taxes have been reduced significantly giving relief to the affected people,” former mayor and sitting Councillor Vithal Chopdekar said.