Team Goemkarponn
MARGAO: Continuing its criticism of the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) over the steep hike in trade and signboard licence fees, the Shadow Council for Margao (SCM) on Saturday accused the civic body of failing to recover more than ₹1.44 crore in rent from its leased premises in the New Market and Gandhi Market.
Addressing a press conference in Margao, SCM convener Savio Coutinho displayed RTI documents obtained from the MMC and alleged that despite this large outstanding sum, the Council was punishing traders in private premises with what he described as an “illegal” and “exorbitant” hike in fees.
Coutinho, flanked by Lincoln Gomes, Anwar Naroo, Aneil Alvares, Sujata Parsekar, Damodar Onskar, Camilo Camara and others, said the Council was content to charge rents as low as ₹10 or a few hundred rupees on many municipal-owned shops, even though private rentals attract higher house tax.
“Hundreds of Municipal premises are illegally let out to outsiders at huge monthly rentals, but the Council collects only paltry amounts,” Coutinho claimed.
He further revealed that SCM had filed four RTI applications on 22 April 2025 seeking details on tax revenues. The Council, he said, delayed sharing the information for over two months and did so only partially, after an appeal to the first appellate authority.
On the matter of kiosks allotted under the Deendayal Swayam Rojgar Yojna, Coutinho said the Goa Handicrafts, Rural & Small Scale Industries Development Corporation (GHRSSIDC) reported 53 kiosks allotted within Margao limits, while MMC stated only 12.
“We are confused about why 3 kiosks owned by the MMC Chairperson and kin were left out of the list provided,” he alleged, questioning how the Chairperson could hold multiple kiosks under a government scheme.
SCM also challenged the Chairperson’s justification for the fee hike. During Council discussions, the Chairperson claimed large stores like Vishal Mart were paying the same fees as small traders. However, Coutinho said their RTI queries revealed only one mall exists in Margao, while Vishal Mart is classified as a “superstore”.
He also pointed to anomalies in the rent records, saying some leaseholders’ names were listed with zero monthly rent.
SCM member Lincoln Gomes charged that MMC was functioning without a proper system, resulting in revenue losses that were ultimately made up by burdening loyal taxpayers. He accused the Council of ignoring real sources of revenue due to “vote-bank politics”.
Calling on the people of Margao to reject the “Model Margao Council” in the upcoming municipal elections, the Shadow Council urged citizens to wake up to the civic body’s mismanagement.
SCM said it would continue its campaign until the “illegal and exorbitant” fee hike is rolled back.
