Pune: Despite the Maharashtra government's pre-election announcement of Non-Agricultural (NA) tax exemption for housing societies, no official order has been issued yet, leaving many housing societies in a state of uncertainty. The delay has raised concerns among residents, as several societies in Pune still face pending tax dues amounting to over ₹2 crore.
Pune has approximately 65,000 housing societies and apartment complexes. Except for those in Gaothan (village) areas, all housing cooperatives, as well as commercial and industrial establishments, are required to pay NA tax as per government regulations. This tax, levied at ₹2.5 to ₹3 per square meter, is payable annually to the district administration.
However, due to a lack of awareness and financial constraints, many housing societies have not cleared their dues for the past 10-15 years. As a result, these societies have been accumulating penalties, with some facing additional fines of ₹15-16 lakh due to a 2% monthly interest charge on outstanding amounts.
The Maharashtra State Cooperative Housing Federation had previously challenged the NA tax in the High Court. The then-Maha Vikas Aghadi government had held discussions with the federation and temporarily suspended tax collection.
Following the change in power, the MahaYuti government continued the suspension and, in October 2024, just before the Model Code of Conduct was enforced, announced that NA tax would be waived for societies built on converted agricultural land.
Despite this announcement, no official government order has been released, causing confusion among housing societies. District authorities have continued issuing notices to tax defaulters, warning of penalties and possible property seizures if dues are not cleared.
