In response to the lower-than-anticipated response to the PT-3 forms for property tax concessions, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to extend the deadline for submission. The original cutoff date of November 30, 2023, will now be flexible, giving citizens an additional opportunity to avail themselves of a 40% property tax reduction.
Ajit Deshmukh, the head of PMC’s property tax department, disclosed that only 96,257 citizens had completed the PT-3 forms by the initial deadline. Recognizing the need to allow more citizens to benefit from the 40% property tax concession, the PMC has chosen to accept submissions beyond the original deadline.
To be eligible for the concession, citizens were required to complete and submit PT-3 forms to the tax department by November 30, declaring themselves residents of their own homes. The PMC had issued warnings that failure to meet the deadline would result in forfeiture of the rebate.
However, some members of political parties have expressed dissatisfaction with the PMC’s approach. A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member argued that the PMC insisted on citizens filling out forms despite the state government’s directive to continue the concession without additional administrative burdens. They urged the implementation of the program as originally intended.
On the other hand, a member of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) criticized the PMC for imposing unnecessary form-filling responsibilities on citizens. They suggested that the PMC should consider alternatives, particularly since property taxes are already perceived as high for new properties.
The PMC clarified that citizens submitting forms after November 30 would be eligible for discounts in the next financial year starting from April 1, 2024, subject to a thorough survey of self-occupied properties and documentation.
