Pune: Civic commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said on Monday that the civic administration has extended the property tax amnesty scheme until Feb 16.Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has collected approximately Rs 713 crore from tax defaulters over two months under the amnesty scheme, which ended on Jan 15. “The response to the scheme was good. Factors such as elections affected collections. More property owners can benefit from this initiative, so we have decided to grant an extension,” Ram said while speaking to reporters after the Standing Committee meeting.Ram also said the civic administration is finalising the municipal budget for 2026–27 and is likely to present it by the end of the month.Among the various amnesty schemes introduced in previous years, the highest collection was recorded in 2020–21, when Rs 485.67 crore was collected over a four-month period. In the current financial year, around 1.24 lakh property owners have benefited from the scheme. A total of Rs 2,557.95 crore has been deposited in the municipal coffers through property tax collections so far this year.The civic body, despite opposition from citizen groups, launched the amnesty scheme for property tax defaulters. According to the proposal, the scheme was implemented from Nov 15, 2025, to Jan 15, 2026, offering a 75% waiver on the penalty amount. The move was taken as the 2% monthly compound-like penalty exceeded the original tax amount.Under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act, a 2% monthly penalty is levied if property tax is not paid by the stipulated deadline. As a result, property tax arrears, including penalties, have accumulated to substantial levels.Ram, commenting on the municipal budget for 2026–27, said the administration is in the final stages of preparation and expects to present it by the end of the month. He added that the administration also plans to provide training to newly elected members.
