The civic administration of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal corporation (PCMC) on Monday said residents of the newly merged villages would have to pay property and other allied taxes till the state government takes a decision on the civic proposal of giving concession to these residents.

Speaking to TOI, Shahaji Pawar, assistant commissioner and chief of property tax department, said that though there have been demands for concession in taxes, a decision can be taken only after the state government approves PCMC's proposal to this effect.

Pawar said, "The civic body has sent a proposal to the state government to allow concession to residents of the newly merged villages. But the state has not yet taken any decision on it. Thus, residents of the merged villages will have to pay their property tax on time and clear their dues."

Speaking about other related taxes, he said, "The PCMC is collecting drainage tax and other taxes for providing various facilities to the residents. The civic body can charge these taxes even if it is not providing such facilities completely. The civic body earns very little property tax from the newly merged villages, but has spent hundreds of crores of rupees on providing basic facilities to them."

Deputy mayor of PCMC Sharad Borhade has demanded that the PCMC should not charge additional tax at the rate of eight per cent of the property tax to the residents of the merged villages till the state government takes a decision about the concession as per the Solapur pattern and PCMC provides 100 per cent underground drainage facility in these areas.

It may be noted that 13 villages were merged into the PCMC limits in September 1997. Some of the villagers were demanding that the villages be excluded from the municipal limits and held agitations. As a result many residents of these villages did not pay their taxes. The PCMC initially undertook some projects in the villages, but later stopped conducting developmental works in view of the uncertainty about the merger.

But, two years ago, the state government announced that the merged villages will not be excluded from the tax net. The PCMC then started its various developmental projects there.