No facility for IT firms despite paying crores in taxes

PIMPRI: Various software companies in the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, Hinjawadi have paid altogether Rs 141 crore tax to Maan, Hinjawadi and Marunji village panchayats in the past 10 years. However, they are complaining that the local bodies have failed to provide even minimum infrastructural and other facilities in the area.

The share of tax paid by these companies amounts to 70 to 80 per cent of these village panchayats’ total revenue. The companies established in phase I of the Infotech park are in the jurisdiction of the Hinjawadi village panchayats while the companies coming in the II and III phases are in the jurisdiction of Mann and Marunji village panchayats.

Among the three bodies, Mann village panchayat with its Rs 68.02 crore collected tax in the decade tops in the revenue collected from the software establishments. There are altogether 77 companies in Mann village panchayat area.

During this period, Hinjawadi village panchayat has collected Rs 54.12 crore tax while Marunji village panchayat has collected Rs 19.24 crore tax.

The representatives of IT companies have complained that there is no effective machinery for garbage management and hence, the roads and other areas are often dirty. Many times, the collected garbage is burnt, leading to pollution and other problems.