Tejas Navale

Pune: The Municipal Taxation and Tax Collection Department has achieved a significant milestone, collecting Rs 432 crore in property tax during the first quarter of the financial year 2024–25. This property tax comes from over 6,30,000 registered properties in the city, including residential, industrial, non-residential, mixed-use, and vacant land. Notably, 54 percent of taxpayers have taken advantage of various concessions by paying their property tax early in the year.

The department has implemented numerous measures to facilitate tax payments, emphasising public awareness about the available exemptions. These efforts have paid off, with many citizens opting to pay their property tax in the first quarter to benefit from the discounts. As a result, 54 percent of all property owners in PCMC paid their dues early this year.

Out of the total property owners, 3,57,011 have paid their taxes, contributing Rs 432 crore. A significant portion, 2,62,522 property owners (73 percent), utilised online payment methods. The 'Siddhi' project, involving around 400 women distributing bills, played a crucial role in this success, enabling citizens to take advantage of the discounts and pay their taxes by June 30.

Among the 17 tax collection zones, Wakad topped the list with 49,036 citizens contributing Rs 68 crore. In contrast, the Pimpri Nagar zone saw the lowest collection of Rs 3 crore from 3,982 property owners. Residential property owners contributed the most, with Rs 260 crore collected from 311,067 properties.

Commissioner Nilesh Deshmukh praised the collective efforts of the department's employees in maintaining consistent tax collection. Shekhar Singh, Commissioner and Administrator of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, expressed gratitude towards the responsible taxpayers and encouraged continued contributions for the city's progress.