GOA LEVIES TAXES ON ADVERTS TOO

By Frederick Noronha

PANJIM, May 1: The tax-man cometh: even advertisements in Goa are
to henceforth face tax, the Directorate of Municipal
Administration has announced.

Taxes on ads will be charged at varying rates. Advert boards
fixed or suspended in streets or on footpaths will have to pay
from Rs 5 to Rs 15 per square metre, depending on the size of the
municipal council in which these are displayed.

Ads displayed in showrooms or painted on glass windows, or in
display-cupboards fixed in the outside wall of any shop will have
to pay between Rs 6 to Rs 30 per metre.

Ads on hoardings in the form of non-illuminated sky signs will
cost Rs 20 to Rs 60 for every three square metres, and an
additional Rs 6.50 to Rs 20 for every additional square metre.
Perhaps citizens groups protesting against the proliferation of
hoardings across the state might feel these rates are too low.

Ads on hoardings with "to be let" messages will get a
concessional tax ranging from Rs 10 to 30 per three square
metres.

Rates have also been fixed for ad boards carried on vehicles,
illuminated ads carried on vehicles, fixed illuminated skysign
adverts, illuminated sky signs or those exhibited on screens with
slides or similar devices, and even adverts put up by floating
baloons, which will cost between Rs 150 to 200 for each baloon.

Interestingly, when the draft rules were put up for public
comment in January 1999, not a single objections and suggestions
were received by the government from the public.

Fire medals: Firemen in the state, who are adjudged to perform
well, will be awarded Fire Service Medals from the chief
minister, the Goa government has decided.

These circular, gold-plated medals will be given to officers of
the rank of Assistant Divisional Officer and below. This medal
will be called the Goa Chief Minister's Fire Service Medal for
outstanding devotion to duty/gallantry.

STAFF QUARTERS: Goa's state government has notified new rules
that will govern the allotment of official quarters to state
staff.

It may be recalled that given the inadequacy of quarters and the
large number of government servants in the state, the allocation
of official quarters is a hotly sought after.

Under the new rules, all officers who earn a certain basic pay,
would be eligible for accommodation for A, B, C, D, E or F
quarters.

A Class I quarters are for officers drawing less than Rs 3050
basic pay. B Class II is for those under Rs 5,500 basic.
Likewise, the C, D, E and F quarters for those earning basic
scales below the slabs of Rs 8500, Rs 12000, Rs 15100 and Rs 26000
respectively.

A quarters are of 400 square feet in size (about 40 sq.m), B of
600 sq. feet (60 sq.m), C of 770 sq. feet (77 sq.m), D of 1130 sq
ft (113 sq.m), E of 1170 sq ft (117 sq.m) with a servant's
quarter of 100 sq feet and half garage, and F is of 2100 sq ft
(210 sq.m) with two servants' quarters and 28 sq. feet garage.

One amendment to the rule, significantly, substitutes Rule 7.
Instead of the powers given to the "General Administration
Secretary", the same are now vested in the "General
Administration Secretary, subject to the approval of the
Government".

ADVOCATE APPOINTED: Advocate Mahesh J Rane has been appointed as
an additional government advocate, to appear in matters of the
Goa high court bench "with immediate effect and until further
orders".