By Rounak Khare
Abhay Yojana 2025-26 is a special tax relief initiative launched by the Pune Municipality Corporation (PMC). It will be implemented from 15th November 2025 to 15th January 2025.
Under this scheme, a 75% waiver will be provided on the penalty amounts that are payable in addition to the delayed property tax payments. Those who have previously benefited from the earlier Abhay Yojana schemes in 2015-16, 2016-17, 2020-21 and 2021-22 will not be eligible to apply for the scheme this time.
Properties within the city limits as well as newly merged villages will be able to benefit from this scheme. According to PMC data, 497172 property owners are eligible for this scheme, whose total principal tax dues amount to 3158 crore rupees. However, the penalty has accumulated to 9002 crore rupees. The civic body expects to recover approximately 5500 crore rupees if all the eligible property holders participate in this scheme. Previously, an estimated number of 140437 property holders have benefitted from this scheme, and still owe 900 crore rupees in arrears.
Payments of the penalty amounts as well as the delayed property tax amount can be made in one lump sum to the PMC civic service centres, which are to remain open on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays for the two-month duration of the scheme. These payments can also be made through certain designated banks which include Bank of Maharashtra, ICICI Bank, Janata Sahakari Bank and Cosmos Bank. Online payments can also be made by property owners on propertytax.punecorporation.org website.
Pune Municipality Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram has stated that strict action shall be taken against those who do not clear their dues, especially those who have received relief previously. The PMC expects that through this initiative the revenue collection will boost and long-pending property tax dues will be reduced, as citizens are given this one-time opportunity to clear their dues with significant financial relief.