Pune Property tax: 1,000 locks to shut out defaulters

Pune:
This is an open and shut case of a different kind. The tax collection department of the Pune Municipal Corporation has demanded that it be supplied with 1,000 locks so that it can seal those properties whose owners don’t pay their tax by June 30. It has issued tenders for the purchase of these locks.
Once the PMC gets the list of those who have not paid the bills by the month-end, stern action will be taken against them by sealing their properties, tax collection department chief Vilas Kanade told The Indian Express on Thursday.
The PMC had launched a scheme in April, wherein citizens have the opportunity to file their property tax by June 30 and avail themselves of a 10 per cent rebate. The rebate, however, is applicable to only those who have cleared all the tax arrears on their property so far. The rebate amount will be deducted from the tax for the next year.

This year, we rolled out the plan in the beginning of the financial year to provide people with an opportunity to clear their property tax dues by the June 30 deadline. So far, 2.5 lakh property owners have paid their tax, amounting to Rs 130 crore. The response to the scheme has been good and we expect to collect tax from three lakh properties out of a total of 6.4 lakh registered properties in the city,” Kanade said.
“However, those who still do not pay after the set deadline will face action in the remaining nine months of the current fiscal. As part of this, we have asked the civic administration to provide us with 1,000 locks to seal their properties. A tender to this effect has been issued and we will soon get these locks.

We are going to distribute the locks to our ward offices and provide them a list of tax defaulters. Accordingly, these officers will go and lock the properties,” he said.
This year, the PMC had dispatched the tax bills by March to enable early payment of taxes, so as to enable citizens get the 10 per cent rebate. The 10 per cent, thus saved, will be deducted from the next year’s property tax as it was not possible to do so this year owing to the election code of conduct.
Tax dues
* 6.4 lakh registered properties.
* Rs 130 cr property tax collected from March.
* June 30 last date of 10 per cent rebate scheme