Port Blair, July 28: After a long period of more than ten years the Home Minister’s Advisory Meeting was held on 28th July,2017 at Home Minister’s Residence at New Delhi. Lt. Governor, A&N Islands, Member of Parliament, Shri Vishal Jolly, Member, HMAC, Adhyaksh, ZillaParishad other HMAC Members and Shri B. Eswar Rao, Chairperson, Port Blair Municipal Council also attended the meeting. Shri B.Eswar Rao, propound various issues pertaining to PBMC before the HMAC committee viz. request for providing funds to mitigate revenue loss of Port Blair Municipal Council (Port Blair Municipal Council) on account of implementation of GST, Constitution of Pradesh Council, Waving of Water Charges by APWD,Enhancement of Honorarium of Councilorsand Regularization of services of 200 casual mazdoors in Port Blair Municipal Council.Port Blair, July 28: After a long period of more than ten years the Home Minister’s Advisory Meeting was held on 28th July,2017 at Home Minister’s Residence at New Delhi. Lt. Governor, A&N Islands, Member of Parliament, Shri Vishal Jolly, Member, HMAC, Adhyaksh, ZillaParishad other HMAC Members and Shri B. Eswar Rao, Chairperson, Port Blair Municipal Council also attended the meeting. Shri B.Eswar Rao, propound various issues pertaining to PBMC before the HMAC committee viz. request for providing funds to mitigate revenue loss of Port Blair Municipal Council (Port Blair Municipal Council) on account of implementation of GST, Constitution of Pradesh Council, Waving of Water Charges by APWD,Enhancement of Honorarium of Councilorsand Regularization of services of 200 casual mazdoors in Port Blair Municipal Council. Shri B. Eswar Rao apprised the HMAC committee that major source of revenue is octroi for the Port Blair Municipal Council as it earns about 90% of total revenue from Octroi. The Chairperson explained in detail about the revenue collected through Octroi during 2015-16, 16-17 and after implementation of GST, the PBMC will require Rs.151.50 crores for the current financial year (proportionate to remaining months) and thereafter further increased amount after considering natural growth factor. The Home Minister of India assured to provide the matching grant to PBMC in lieu of Octroi on implementation of GST. Further, the Chairperson appraised the long pending demand of the workers working on daily wages for the last ten to fifteen years for regularization of their service under PBMC. The Lt. Governor, A&N Islands assured to look into the matter. Shri B. Eswar Rao, Chairperson, PBMC put forth the issue regarding waiving off water charges by APWD as the Port Blair Municipal Council procure water from APWD on bulk basis and is supplied to the citizens of Port Blair. Upon this, the Home Minister of India issued necessary direction to the concerned authority to grant fund as per the recommendation of Third Finance Commission for one time grant under Non Plan towards payment of water charges to APWD and also directed to implement the recommendations of Third Finance commission in true letter and spirit. The Lt. Governor, A& N Islands, the Member of Parliament and Shri Vishal Jolly, Member HMAC also put up the demands of PBMC. The issue of Constitution of Pradesh Council in A&N Islands was also taken up for discussion in the HMAC meeting as the representation of the people in governance and decision making is severely restricted in these Islands in the absence of Assembly. After a long discussion on this issue the Committee agreed to look into this issue.
