E-Paper
PMC begins auctioning 40 properties of property tax defaulters
Despite the introduction of the amnesty scheme, some property tax defaulters in the city are not paying up taxes owed to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and therefore in a first, the PMC has initiated the auction process on a total of 40 properties
Despite the introduction of the amnesty scheme, some property tax defaulters in the city are not paying up taxes owed to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and therefore in a first, the PMC has initiated the auction process on a total of 40 properties.
PMC property tax departments have identified properties that are not responding to the property tax department.
Last week, the PMC sealed nine properties and sent a proposal to the tehsildar to put the civic body’s name on the 7x12 extract of the defaulter’s properties.
In the background of the Covid-19 pandemic, the PMC is facing a financial crunch and property tax and Goods and Services Tax (GST), building development charges are the main income source for the PMC.
At present, the property tax department has collected ₹1,465 crore so far in property taxes and is expecting another ₹50 crore by March 31, 2021.
However, the PMC has claimed it has collected the maximum property tax as compared to other municipal corporations in the state on the background of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The PMC’s target of ₹2,100 crore which was set in the 2020-21 budget has still not reached.
Vilas Kanade, joint municipal commissioner, property tax department said, “We are first initiating the process of adding PMC’s name on the 7x12 extract and auction properties. At present, we have started the online auction of properties to recover outstanding dues of ₹7.72 crore.”
He further said, “We have identified another 30 properties for the auction. We have started the process to seal and put the name of the civic body on the 7x12 extract. It will take time to complete the entire procedure. After that, we will go to the auction. We have to recover more than ₹20 crore against these properties.”
40,000 new property registrations
Kanade said, “On one hand, we are initiating strict action against defaulters, and on the other the property department has registered 40,000 new properties. It is one of the highest records of registering new properties in PMC history. The PMC has also collected ₹1,654 crore despite the Covid-19 pandemic.”
In the collection of property tax, around 5 lakh residents paid property tax of around ₹778 crore online. Now, the department has completed all necessary procedures to send new property tax bills for 2021-22 from April 1st. It will be distributed until April 15 to all property holders.
