PUNE: The city improvement committee of Pune Municipal Corporation
(PMC) is contemplating to give some concession in property tax to wrestling
institutes in city that train budding wrestlers. The committee is
considering a proposal to charge property tax at the same rate as
residential property to these institutes instead of charging the rate
applied for commercial properties.

“A wrestling institute, based
in Warje area, has approached us asking a change in the category of
property tax that is levied on such establishments. Currently, the
municipal corporation is charging property tax at commercial rate. The
governing body of the institute asked us to convert the tax category
from commercial to residential so that it will have to pay lower tax,”
said Datta Bahirat, chairman of city improvement committee (CIC), while
speaking with reporters.

Bahirat said that the committee has
given approval to the institute’s demand. The committee has sought
details as how much tax the institute pays at commercial rate and how
much tax it will have to pay if the tax is charged as per residential
category. After getting these details the committee will take a final
call on the proposal in the next meeting. The committee has also sought
details whether any other wrestling institute has sent similar proposal.

“There is a need to promote sports like wrestling and other Indian
games. So all the proposals that will help in promotion of various
sports will be considered positively,” said Dhananjay Jadhav, member of
the CIC, “Many institutes are struggling to survive due to poor
financial condition. Concessions in expenses like property tax will help
them save some money.”