Taxpayers return home disappointed as MMC tax counter remains shut

The MMC tax collection counter found deserted since the civic body did not accept the taxes on the day of the financial year. The Municipal taxation section shut to facilitate employees to feed the new fee rates in the system.

Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar

MARGAO
In the midst of the debate in support and against the decision to effect hike in the fees, taxpayers returned home disappointed on Day One of the new financial year on Tuesday after the Margao Municipal tax collection counter remained closed.

A notice put up by the Chief Officer Melvyn Vaz at the tax collection counter stated that due to the closing of the financial year 2024-25, the collection counter and receipts and payments transactions will remain closed from March 28 to April 1.

On the Municipal building first floor, the doors of the Municipal taxation section remained shut for the day. Employees working in the taxation section were working overtime to make data entries relating to the recent hike effected by the Margao Municipal Council on a host of issues, including trade licence.

Sources in the know informed that the employees were working overtime to feed the new rates on various services into the system. The Margao Municipal Council had earlier requested the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to make changes in the fee structure after the Council had given approval for the new rates.

Margao Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar informed that the taxation section employees were busy feeding the new fee structure in the system so that the tax payers are charged with the new rates. “It will take a day or two for the taxation officials to make the necessary changes in the system. When people come to pay the trade licence, the employees will make the necessary changes,” he said.

To a question, the Margao civic chief said there is no plan to go for a rollback of the hike in fees effected by the civic body. “I want to make it abundantly clear that the MMC will not do a rethink on the decision to effect a hike in the fees,” Damu asserted.