14 properties sealed for tax evasion
Pune: The property tax department of Pune Municipal Corporation has sealed 14 properties after their owners defaulted on tax payment in the last three days.
The administration took action against the owners of these properties because they had refused to pay the pending tax amount worth around Rs 70 lakh. The department has formed 23 squads to recover the dues.
“The civic administration has been organising drives for recovery. Notices were served to people and they were told to pay the arrears. Those, who have refused, faced action,” Suhas Mapari, head of the civic body’s property tax department, said.
Properties in Yerawada, Kothrud and Hadapsar were sealed. All these properties are commercial properties including nine offices in Yerawada, two in Mayur Colony, Kothrud and three shops in Handewadi (Hadapsar).
“We will start the initiative of playing brass bands outside the properties of tax defaulters to recover the arrears. The teams, which have been formed for recovery, will be sent to different areas and given targets for recovery,” Vaibhav Kadlag, a senior official of property tax department, said.
Property tax is a levy by the government on real estate. A property is assessed to give it a value and, then, that value is taxed. The amount of tax owed is determined by multiplying the fair market value of the property by the current tax rate. The city has around 8.5 lakh properties which are liable for tax.
According to the records of the PMC there are nearly 2.84 lakh property tax defaulters in PMC. The total dues are worth Rs 1,919 crore, which includes a penalty of Rs 806 crore.
As per PMC officials, the department has taken various steps to reduce the dues. It plans to use the geographical information system (GIS) to register properties in the city.
Those who wish to benefit from the property tax penalty discount scheme have only five days in hand. The first-of-its-kind property tax concession scheme implemented by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will end next Thursday.
The scheme has fetched the civic body around Rs 240 crore from 1.4 lakh defaulters till February 29. The amnesty scheme was rolled out on January 10 and will continue till March 31.
“The administration had offered 75% concession for tax defaulters on the penalty amount till February 29. Now, we will offer 50% concession till March 31,” property tax department head Suhas Mapari said. No discount for defaulters after the financial year ends will be offered.
