The Mapusa municipal council at its council meeting held on Monday held discussions on the enhanced taxes, fees, rents and fines

the council held discussions on the hike in taxes and fees for various services including a proposal to increase house tax by a whopping 110 percent from the new financial year.

Another proposal that came up at the meeting was about a proposal to fix a dog tax with the owner having to cough up Rs 500 for every dog. The civic body has also decided to hike fees to obtain a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for water and electricity connection by a huge 400 percent.

The council also decided to increase fee/tax under various other heads including trade licence, house repair licence, transfer fees and also interestingly, construction licence fee for commercial projects which has been hiked by only 80 percent from 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent.

The additional funds mopped up through increase in tax/fee will go to pay salaries of the municipality staff and to carry out development work.

“It is proposed to adopt new rates since the council is in need of huge revenue for the management of the garbage, salary of the staff and other developmental works,” said chief officer of Mapusa Priya Mishal adding that the rates fixed on various taxes and fees were very less compared to other municipalities of the same class in the State.

The Opposition councillors expressed their shock at the civic body’s plan to burden the common man by increasing the taxes.