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PMC awaits ₹3,045 crore dues from state; activist flags inaction
While PMC awaits ₹3,045 crore in dues from the state government, civic activist Vivek Velankar on Thursday urged the civic body to prioritise recovery of pending funds
PUNE: While the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) awaits ₹3,045 crore in dues from the state government, civic activist Vivek Velankar on Thursday urged the civic body to prioritise recovery of pending funds.
Velankar’s remarks come after PMC standing committee chairman Shrinath Bhimale presented a ₹15,669-crore budget without proposing new revenue sources.
“PMC’s funds have been pending with the state government for several years. Total dues amount to ₹3,045 crore since 2017. As the same party is in power at the PMC, state and Centre, elected representatives should ensure that the money is recovered,” Velankar said.
He said the dues include Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation for areas merged into the civic limits. Eleven villages were merged in 2017 and another 23 in 2021, for which the civic body is yet to receive GST-related grants for nearly a decade. This component alone amounts to ₹1,421 crore.
Velankar said that after the state scrapped the Local Body Tax (LBT), it introduced an additional 1% registration charge on property transactions. The PMC’s share from this levy, pending since 2019-20, stands at ₹1,075 crore.
“Recovering these dues can become a major additional source of income and help PMC implement its budget effectively,” he said.
Responding to the concerns, Bhimale said the civic body would pursue the matter with the state government. “We will definitely try to recover the funds. The state government is positive about Pune and has been extending financial support,” he said.
Minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol recently said efforts would be made to secure pending funds for PMC from both the state and central governments.
“We will follow up on whatever funds are pending. I am confident PMC will receive the required support,” Mohol said.
