PUNE: Civic Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram announced on Monday that the property tax amnesty scheme has been extended until February 16.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) reported collecting around ₹713 crore from tax defaulters during the initial two months of the scheme, which originally concluded on January 15.
“The response to the scheme was positive. However, election-related factors impacted collections. This extension allows more property owners to take advantage of it,” Ram stated during a press briefing after the Standing Committee meeting.
Additionally, Ram noted that the administration is in the final stages of preparing the municipal budget for 2026–27, which is expected to be presented by the end of the month.
The highest collection from similar schemes in previous years was in 2020–21, totaling ₹485.67 crore over four months. This year, approximately 1.24 lakh property owners have benefited from the scheme, resulting in a total deposit of ₹2,557.95 crore in municipal tax collections so far.
Despite opposition from citizen groups, the civic body proceeded with the amnesty scheme aimed at property tax defaulters. The initiative, which started from November 15, 2025, to January 15, 2026, offers a 75% waiver on penalties, addressing concerns that the 2% monthly compounded penalties often exceed the original tax amount.
Under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act, a 2% monthly penalty is applied for overdue property taxes, leading to a significant accumulation of tax arrears.
Regarding the upcoming municipal budget for 2026–27, Ram expressed that preparations are nearly complete, and the administration also aims to provide training for newly elected members.
