Amid delayed bill issuance, Pune's municipal body garnered over Rs 1,300 crore in property tax payments. PMC's Ajit Deshmukh highlighted diverse online and offline contributions, resulting in revenue surpassing Rs 1,300 crore in two months. A bill delay led to a 40% rebate announcement, extending discounted tax rates until July 31. Technical glitches prompted a two-day extension. Civic activists' appeals led to a lottery for compliant taxpayers, while critics urged a focus on defaulters. PMC, with 5.5 lakh properties paid by August 2, targets Rs 2,618.15 crore from property tax, incorporating water tax revenue.
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Despite encountering a delay in issuing bills this year, the municipal administration has achieved a commendable response in property tax payment, amassing a substantial sum of over Rs 1,300 crore so far. Ajit Deshmukh, the head of the property tax department at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), reported a noteworthy number of residents opting for both online and offline modalities of tax payment. He also affirmed that in the course of the past two months, the revenue surpassed the significant milestone of Rs 1,300 crore.
The issuance of bills experienced a setback of approximately one and a half months, primarily due to the imperative to reissue them following the government's proclamation of a 40% rebate on self-occupied properties. As a direct result of this temporary impediment, the PMC judiciously extended the cutoff for availing discounted property tax rates up to the concluding day of July, an endeavour aimed at rendering this incentive more accessible to a broader spectrum of taxpayers. However, on the stipulated day for payment, technical complications plaguing PMC's website resulted in numerous taxpayers being unable to fulfil their levy obligations on July 31.
Consequently, a pragmatic decision to extend the window by an additional two days was undertaken, culminating last Tuesday. In a remarkable manifestation of dedication, PMC extended the ambit of property tax submissions to even encompass government holidays and Sundays, steadfastly adhering to the July 31 timeline. Responding sagaciously to appeals by civic-minded advocates, PMC inaugurated a tantalizing lottery scheme replete with prizes valued at Rs 1 crore, exclusively tailored for taxpayers who adroitly met the deadline of August 2.
People like Vivek Velankar from Sajag Nagrik Manch express concerns. They point out that PMC focuses more on increasing property taxes than actively recovering dues from defaulters. PMC, in its role as custodian of approximately 11.5 lakh properties encompassing its tax purview, bore witness to the responsible actions of nearly 5.5 lakh property proprietors who diligently fulfilled their financial obligations by the fixed date of August 2. Evidencing a departure from conventional practice, where bill distribution traditionally commences on April 1 and extends until May 31, PMC adopted an altered calendar this year, commencing the disbursement on May 15.
For the fiscal year 2023–24, PMC has boldly outlined an ambitious endeavour, aiming to accrue Rs 2,318.15 crore in property tax revenue. Bolstering this financial aspiration, the municipal administration anticipates a formidable contribution of nearly Rs 300 crore, an accrual from residential water tax—a constituent component enriching the holistic property tax revenue composition. This ensemble projection foresees the overall property tax revenue ascending to an anticipated pinnacle of Rs 2,618.15 crore.
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