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Panvel Municipality cracks down on property tax defaulters

The Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) is intensifying its efforts to collect property taxes by deploying ten teams responsible for issuing pre-seizure notices to top defaulters within its municipal jurisdiction. This move, initiated on November 1, 2023, comes following instructions from PMC's civic chief, Ganesh Deshmukh.
The notices have been issued to a total of 750 defaulters, covering 100 industrial properties, 301 residential properties, and 349 commercial properties across Kharghar, Kalamboli, Kamothe, and Panvel.
Property tax serves as the primary source of revenue for PMC, funding various municipal projects and initiatives. Notably, some residents challenged the retrospective property tax collection by PMC, but the Bombay High Court has not imposed restrictions on the corporation's property tax collection efforts, allowing PMC to focus diligently on tax collection.
In line with this, the civic body has initiated the process of issuing notices regarding the attachment and pre-seizure of immovable and movable properties of the highest arrears among industrial, residential, and commercial units that have not paid their property tax.
Defaulters who have received pre-seizure notices may face property auctions if they fail to settle their property tax dues in the near future. The corporation has established 10 teams responsible for issuing seizure notices across four wards and has communicated with property owners via SMS.
Over the past four years, a total of Rs 485 crores has been recovered, indicating a significant commitment to tax compliance. The current fiscal year witnessed a total collection of Rs 210 crores by November 1, marking the first instance of such a substantial tax collection within the first seven months of the fiscal year. Moreover, a 2% monthly penalty for non-payment of property tax has motivated citizens to meet their obligations promptly. Property owners who opt to pay their taxes online receive a 2% discount, excluding government taxes, further encouraging the use of digital payment methods.
In summary, PMC's increased efforts to collect property taxes through the issuance of pre-seizure notices to top defaulters are indicative of their commitment to securing vital revenue for municipal projects. The utilization of separate teams for this purpose and the incentivizing of tax compliance demonstrate PMC's dedication to efficient tax collection.

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