The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has set a new record in property tax collection during the first quarter of the 2025-26 financial year. This achievement is primarily attributed to the efficient utilization of data from its “City Hub for Data Communication” (CHDC) initiative.
In the initial 90 days, the PCMC has amassed Rs522 crore in property tax, which constitutes over 50% of the total tax revenue generated in the previous fiscal year. In the last year, the civic body reached the Rs500-crore milestone only by October. This impressive beginning has led the PCMC to target an extraordinary annual collection. In the 2024-25 financial year, the PCMC collected Rs965.71 crore in property tax, in contrast to the record-breaking Rs977 crore in 2023-24.
Launched earlier this year in February, the CHDC project is recognized as a pioneering initiative in India. It enables the municipal corporation to analyze data and implement solutions driven by data insights. Civic officials assert that only New York (USA) and Tel Aviv (Israel) have successfully implemented similar projects to date.
The CHDC has facilitated data-driven planning, real-time analysis of defaulters, and the identification of tax response patterns specific to different areas. Avinash Shinde, assistant municipal commissioner and head of the PCMC’s property tax department, stated that the civic body utilized data to categorize taxpayers who traditionally preferred to settle their dues at the end of the financial year rather than on a quarterly basis.
The frequency of reminder messages to these property owners was increased starting in April, providing information about additional discounts such as a 10% concession on general tax for online payments and an additional 2% for timely payments over three consecutive years. This strategy encouraged them to pay their dues quarterly,” he explained. “The strategic planning by the tax department, the use of data through the CHDC, the door-to-door delivery of bills via self-help groups, and effective public communication have all played a significant role in surpassing the Rs522 crore mark in record time,” remarked municipal commissioner Shekhar Singh.
