NT NETWORK
MARGAO
The Margao Municipal Council (MMC), on Friday, approved the surplus budget of Rs 6.74 crore for the financial year 2018-2019.
This is the second meeting convened by the council to discuss the budget as earlier the councilors had refused to discuss it claiming that the budget copies were given to them at the eleventh hour.
During the meeting, the opposition councilors pointed out certain errors in the budget.
The expected income for the next financial year is Rs 75.28 crore while the proposed expenditure is Rs 68.54 crore.
There was chaos for a moment, when councillors Doris Texeira, Avinash Shirodkar, Manoj Masurkar, Suchita Malkarnekar and some others pointed out that the fresh budget copies and the copies given to them earlier carry ‘different figures.’
The chairperson Babita Prabhudesai and the chief officer Johnson Bedi Fernandes tried to clarify on it and assured action against the staff responsible for the errors.
At this juncture, the opposition councilors mocked at the way the council is ‘functioning.’
Prabhudesai insisted that discussion can be held on the earlier presented budget copies, and finally the budget was passed in the two-hour meeting.
Opposition councillors Doris Texeira sought explanation on some of the heads of the budget, which was provided by the chairperson.
During the meeting, the councilors resolved to put a ban on the sale or use of plastic bags in its jurisdiction.
The chairperson informed that sanitary inspectors have been asked to put up public notices at the strategic points with banners educating the people.
As per the waste management rules, the council will start acting against the offendors from April 1, she said and sought support of the councilors for that.
When the issue of sopo collection was being discussed, the opposition councillors demanded that fresh bids be invited for the collection of sopo at the market to get more revenue for the council.
The chairperson, however, said that she will take a legal opinion on it and if the need be, she will call for another meeting.
At this point of time, the chaos was witnessed as the opposition councillors disagreed with the chairperson.
Some councillors suggested to extend the present sopo contract by 3 more years with a yearly hike in revenue collection of 10 per cent.
