Educational institutes top property tax payers,Kadam’s Vidyapeeth leads list

“The list of top 10 tax payers in the city for the ongoing fiscal has been prepared as per the demand of the Income Tax department,” said Vilas Kanade,PMC Tax Assessment and Collection Officer.

Bharati Vidyapeeth pays Rs 8,45,080 for its property in Katraj,followed by Sinhagad Technical Education Society,run by S N Navale in Wadgaon Budhruk with a tax payout of Rs 4,93,856. Sadhana Vidyalaya in Hadapsar is third with Rs 3,47,138.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) charges property tax from educational institutes as per prevalent residential tax rates,a practice that is being opposed by some corporators who want them to be charged commercial rates.

“There is no reason to continue property tax rebate for educational institutes. They were started on the pretext of a social cause,but are now only into business,” said MNS leader in the PMC,Ravindra Dhangekar. The MNS had last year launched an agitation against private educational institutes alleging that though they enjoy benefits granted by the state government,they prefer students from outside the state.

“The MNS will take up the issue in the PMC and urge the civic body to charge property tax on private educational institutes at commercial rates. These institutes are of no use to local students,” he said.

Activist Vijay Kumbhar said the city has too many educational institutes and should pay tax at commercial rates.

The educational institutions do not agree. “We impart education to all sections of society. Charging commercial rates will be unjustified,” said a senior representative of the Bharati Vidyapeeth management.

Most city-based educational institutes had cried foul after the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) put educational institutes in the commercial category almost a year back.

Meanwhile,the civic administration’s drive against property tax defaulters has yielded Rs 2 crore from IT charged tax under residential rates. “We sealed the office of a few IT companies on Senapati Bapat Road for defaulting on property tax. The companies paid their dues immediately,” said Dayananad Sonkamble,Assistant Tax Assessment and Collection Officer.

The PMC has also furnished the Income Tax department with a list of ten top property tax paying commercial properties in the city,mostly owned by businessmen.