Mumbai: BMC plans property tax rebates for residential societies using solar energy

Representational Image. Pic/Pixabay

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has said that it is planning to give rebates on the property tax to the residential societies/complexes using solar energy by installing solar panels.

The BMC is already giving a two per cent rebate in property tax to residential societies and complexes that are following the ‘zero garbage policy' and two per cent to those using recycled water and rainwater harvesting. Zero garbage policy means that the residents segregate and process the waste in their complex.

A civic official said that now the BMC is thinking of giving rebates for solar energy use, adding that this is a long-pending proposal to initiate green construction in the city. The civic body will soon start preparing the draft.

"A policy needs to be set up before implementing the decision of the rebate of the two per cent for use of the solar energy. The policy will need to be determined considering factors such as the capacity of the solar plant, the amount of electricity it generates, and the electricity consumption," said the official.

"We are thinking of implementing this from the next financial year. Before that, the draft needs to be prepared and approved by the administration," added the official.

"We are considering this to promote the use of unconventional and natural energy sources. Additionally, both the state and central governments have formulated certain policies to encourage the use of solar energy," the official further said.

The BMC's property tax collection reached R5,847.68 crore till December 2024 and for the current financial year. For the 2024-25 financial year, the civic body has already collected R4,188 crore, which was 68 per cent of its target of Rs 6,200 crore.