Pune : The Taxation and Tax Collection Department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has launched an aggressive campaign to directly seal the properties of property tax defaulters. PMC has recently taken action against two notable properties, Choice Health Club in Kothrud and Arole Construction Pvt Ltd in Mangalwar Peth, both of which owe the PMC a substantial sum of Rs. 4 Crores in unpaid taxes.
Despite PMC’s various initiatives and tax incentives to encourage timely payments, a significant number of Pune’s residents have shown reluctance to settle their property tax dues, often citing various reasons. In response, PMC initiated a campaign to issue notices to those with outstanding tax arrears, seeking to recover the unpaid dues. However, as these notices failed to elicit a response, PMC has resorted to the direct sealing of properties owned by these tax defaulters. The guidance and leadership of Ajit Deshmukh, the Deputy Commissioner and Head of the Taxation and Tax Collection Department, have played a pivotal role in these stringent actions.
PMC’s intention behind seizing and selling these properties is to generate substantial revenue for the municipality. In the initial phase, a total of 202 properties are scheduled for auction, with an estimated collection of 57 crore rupees expected to flow into the municipal treasury. Following the successful completion of this initial auction phase, a second phase of property auctions is also in the pipeline.
Furthermore, in the current fiscal year, PMC has set an ambitious target of generating 2,400 crores in property tax revenue, with already 1,442 crores successfully collected. In addition to collecting taxes from property owners, the municipal corporation’s property tax department is focusing on introducing new levies to enhance revenue streams.
To meet its ambitious tax collection goal, PMC has bolstered its workforce by recruiting additional staff and implementing rigorous measures against tax defaulters. Property Tax Department’s Peth Inspectors have been instructed to seal properties with unpaid taxes, aiming to seal a minimum of 30 commercial properties each month. The department’s staff is also readily available to assist Divisional Inspectors and Peth Inspectors in achieving a collective target of sealing at least 50 delinquent properties per month.
Earlier, PMC introduced a lottery scheme to reward citizens who paid their property taxes on time for the financial year 2023-24. The winners of this scheme were felicitated by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, underlining PMC’s commitment to promoting punctual tax payments. Currently, a 40 percent tax concession is being offered, and it has been clarified that no schemes similar to the Abhay Yojana will be introduced by the municipality.
Ajit Deshmukh, Head of the Taxation and Tax Collection Department at the Municipal Corporation, emphasized, “Tax defaulters were issued notices to pay their outstanding taxes, but no response was received, and arrears remained unpaid. Properties of such defaulters are now being seized, and the sealing of properties across the city will continue.”
