City civic administration, with Income Tax department’s directives, has prepared a list of taxpayers from the city. This list features six of the top 10 taxpayers from the city which, incidentally, are educational institutes.
City based Bharati Vidyapeeth, run by state Forest Minister, Patangrao Kadam, leads the 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.

The amount of the tax paid by Bharti Vidyapeeth this year is about Rs 8, 45,080 for its institutions based in Katraj, followed by one of the famous education institutes from the city- Sinhagad Technical Education Society based in Wadgoan Bidruk with a tax of 4, 93,856. On the list third number educational institute is Hadapsar based Sadhana Vidyalaya with tax of Rs 3, 47,138.
The PMC charges property tax as per the prevalent tax rates in the city. This is being opposed by the city based corporatores 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 agitation launched by MNS last year was just a means to teach a lesson to city based educational institutions as they prefer students from states other than Maharashtra, in place of students from the home state, said MNS activist.

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.

In a justification what MNS activist said a senior representative of the Bharati Vidyapeeth management said,

We impart education to all sections of society, and so charging commercial rates will be unjustified.

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.