Mumbai, March 22: The Maharashtra government on Tuesday ordered a temporary stay on the recovery of non-agricultural (NA) tax by the state revenue department from housing societies in Mumbai's suburbs.

Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat made this announcement in the Legislative Assembly. Navi Mumbai: APMC Market’s Vegetable Supplier Robbed of Rs 6.5 Lakh Near Bhiwandi.

BJP MLAs, including Ashish Shelar, had raised concerns over the recovery of NA tax, saying people are yet to recover from the pandemic blues.

Shelar argued that the tax is imposed on around 20,000 housing societies every year even after it is paid at the time of construction.

Another BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar seconded Shelar and demanded that the government abolish the NA tax altogether.

“It is true we have received complaints on a big scale in this regard. A delegation led by Shelar had met me. Another delegation led by Amin Patel (of Congress) too had called on me," Thorat said.

"We are staying the recovery of NA tax temporarily,” the minister said, adding that the issues raised by the MLAs will be looked into.

Shelar also demanded that the revenue minister form a committee of MLAs of all parties from Mumbai's suburbs to discuss abolishing the tax.