Maharashtra to restore 40% tax sop for self-stay homes in Pune

PUNE: Relief is on the cards for property owners in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits as the state government has planned to reintroduce the 40% property tax discount for self-occupied homes.
A delegation of BJP leaders, including Pune guardian minister Chandrakant Patil, met chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on Friday to discuss the property tax issue.
"The state government is positive on continuing the discount scheme. A formal notification about it will be issued after the next state cabinet meeting," former mayor and BJP leader Muralidhar Mohol said after the meeting.
Patil said the reintroduction of the discount has been a demand for a long time. "The state has accepted the demand. The 40% tax discount will be offered. A detailed proposal will be drafted for it and a final announcement will be made as soon as possible," the guardian minister said.
Residents in the municipal corporation limits expressed immense relief with the state government's plan to reintroduce the 40% property tax discount for self-occupied homes.
"This decision [tax discount] is a big relief for property owners. It will bring down the burden on common citizens. PMC should also make sure that it provides adequate facilities while charging tax from people... only then can the tax be justified," said Vandana Dhore, a resident of Paud Road.
Bavdhan resident Deepak Bodke said: "The residents of PMC areas pay a very heavy tax. A total of 40% tax discount is a sizeable amount. This will make the property tax at par with that of other municipal corporations."
The special discount was started in 1970 for self-occupied properties within the PMC limits. But it was not notified as an Act by the state government. In 2019, the discount was declared illegal and scrapped.
PMC in 2022 sent SMSs to 60,000 property owners, asking them to pay 40% additional tax with retrospective effect from 2019. After opposition from public, the recovery was halted.
Wadgaonsheri MLA Sunil Tingre on Friday welcomed the state government's decision. "But state should also give waiver on penalty tax for PMC areas [like] property owners got in Pimpri Chinchwad," he said.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that the BJP was responsible for causing agony among property owners. "BJP was in power when the decision to scrap the discount was taken. Now, after backlash, they are taking a U-turn. They should also take responsibility for the suffering caused to citizens by their previous decision," said AAP leader Vijay Kumbhar. "Respite should be given to those property owners who have already paid the additional tax," he added.