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PMC, citizens seek clarity on tax bills for coming year
On Friday, the CM asked Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) not to recover dues of the 40 per cent tax rebate that the civic body had cancelled since 2019. At the same time, he said the rebate will continue in future
PUNE:
Even as Chief Minister (CM) Eknath Shinde has announced to continue the 40 per cent rebate in the property tax, there is a complete lack of clarity among civic administration and citizens over the exact benefits residents will get from this decision.
On Friday, the CM asked Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) not to recover dues of the 40 per cent tax rebate that the civic body had cancelled since 2019. At the same time, he said the rebate will continue in future.
However, citizens are eager to learn whether they will now receive property tax bills with a 40 per cent rebate, as opposed to 2022, when many received inflated bills and some even paid.
Earlier when the state government had asked to cancel the 40 per cent rebate in property tax and recover dues from 2019, the PMC raised the tax bills to 97,500 properties for the same in the financial year 2022-23. Civic officials said around 33,000 taxpayers paid this additional 40 per cent tax component.
“Now I’m wondering what will happen to people like me who paid the additional tax. “Will the tax bill I receive be reduced?” asked Amrut Parkhi, a Kothrud resident.
Many citizens believe that the decision made on Friday will result in a direct 40 per cent reduction in property taxes, though PMC tax department officials have not confirmed this.
A civic officer, on the condition of anonymity, said, “They will not able to comment on this as it’s still an oral decision. Once PMC receives the exact order and details, it will be easy to make comment on how it will impact
citizens. But it is clear that civic administration will not recover past dues or issue any fine on it.”
According to another officer, the state government had previously decided to discontinue the tax rebate based on High Court instructions.
“Now that the order is in, it will be clearer how the urban development department comes out legally,” the officer said.
Earlier in the meeting, CM Shinde stated, “The 40 per cent rebate will continue in Pune city, and the state government will approve the proposal in the next cabinet meeting.”
Former Mayor Murlidhar Mohol stated, “The State government has made a clear decision to provide the previous benefits of 40 per cent rebate to taxpayers.”
Ravindra Dhangekar, a member of the Congress party, stated, “The CM promised a 40 per cent rebate. The administration will now handle the technical aspects, and the cabinet will approve it.”
