CCP passes Rs 107.2cr budget, prioritises new respite centre for special children

Panaji: The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) on Tuesday approved a budget of Rs 107.2 crore for the financial year 2026-27, with a major focus on social welfare through the proposed construction of a respite centre for special children at Caranzalem. Budgetary provisions for the project have already been made as part of the corporation’s broader plans for infrastructure upgrades, revenue enhancement and cost-cutting measures.The corporation also plans to undertake the beautification of Panaji Church Square.Speaking after the budget meeting, CCP commissioner Clen Madeira said that the focus this year would also be on increasing revenue collection.Citing the example of collections from the Ashtami fair held along the promenade, he said, “Last year we generated around Rs 1.2 crore in revenue from the fair. The previous year it was about Rs 1.1 crore, and before that it was roughly Rs 90 lakh. There has been a quantum jump because of improved efficiency in collections.”A major source of anticipated revenue this year is expected to come from municipal market dues and lease agreements. According to the commissioner, outstanding dues linked to the municipal market, dating back to 2003 and the second phase developed in 2007, are estimated at Rs 20-25 crore.The corporation has initiated the process of signing lease agreements with occupants and has informed them that outstanding dues will have to be cleared before agreements are finalised.“Before the elections, we had meetings with the market occupants and explained our decision. They appreciated the proposal and agreed that outstanding dues would need to be cleared from day one,” he said.The CCP is now awaiting responses regarding payment schedules and possible instalment options, which will later be placed before the council for a formal resolution.He clarified that while central govt properties are exempt from taxes, service charges are levied for waste collection and related civic services.