Pune-Okayama Ties Turn 20: Two PMC Officials to Attend Japan Conference

Pune, 16th September 2026: Two senior Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials are set to visit Japan from September 26 to October 4 to attend a conference organised by the Okayama Prefectural Government, marking the 20th anniversary of the friendship and cooperation agreement between Pune and Okayama.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Prajit Nair and City Engineer Aniruddha Pawaskar have been granted approval by the PMC Standing Committee to attend the conference in Okayama, Standing Committee Chairman Shrinath Bhimale said.

The proposed nine-day visit is expected to cost around Rs 3 lakh per official, taking the total estimated expenditure to approximately Rs 6 lakh. The PMC will bear the expenses towards air travel, accommodation and food.

The expenditure is proposed to be met from the provision under the General Administration Department’s budget head for “various committees, commissions and tours” in the PMC’s 2026-27 budget. An allocation of Rs 10 lakh is available under the head.

The Pune-Okayama friendship and cooperation agreement completes 20 years this year. A conference has been organised in Okayama to mark the milestone and provide a platform for discussions between representatives of the Okayama Prefectural Government, local administration, industries, educational institutions and other stakeholders.

According to the proposal submitted by the civic administration, the PMC officials are expected to discuss potential areas of cooperation between Pune and Okayama, including urban administration, education, healthcare, environment, industry, technology, tourism and cultural exchange.

The visit is also aimed at strengthening existing ties between the two cities and identifying new avenues for cooperation, the administration said in its proposal.

As per the proposal, the period from September 26 to October 4 will be treated as part of the officials’ service period. They have also been permitted to leave headquarters during the visit, including on public holidays.