Maharashtra housing federation wants state government to abolish NA tax

PUNE: The state housing federation wants the Eknath Shinde government to abolish the NA tax levied on housing societies.

The revenue department of the previous MVA government had put a temporary stay on the collection of the non-agriculture (NA) tax in the urban areas. The federation members said they were hopeful about a decision towards the abolition of the NA tax during the ongoing assembly session.

“We are planning to take up the issue with chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis,” Maharashtra Cooperative Housing Federation vice-chairman Suhas Patwardhan said.

All properties, including housing societies, residential plots, commercial establishments and industrial sheds, not in the “gaothan” areas, as classified by the collector in accordance with the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1960, come under the ambit of the NA tax. The state government charges the NA tax for the use of agricultural land for non-agriculture purposes and revises it every 5-10 years.

Of the around 2 lakh cooperative housing societies and apartments in the state, only 10-15,000 are in the gaothan areas that are exempted from the NA tax.

Bombay HC advocate Satya Muley had helped the federation file a public interest litigation (PIL) against the NA tax. He said the MVA government had realised people’s sentiments and was forced to announce a stay on the collection of the NA tax following the filing of the PIL.

“The PIL is still with the HC. People’s demand is not limited to a stay on collection of NA tax. They want permanent exclusion of urban areas from the applicability of NA tax, as such land has permanently been converted into residential sites,” Muley said.

“When the assembly is in session, the state should announce a favourable stand on the issue. Otherwise, the subject will be dealt with in the HC on merit,” he added