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."