Pune: Maharashtra Limits District Planning Committee Purchases to 10% of Annual Funds

Pune, 12th August 2025: The Maharashtra Planning Department has introduced a new cap restricting the District Planning Committee (DPC) from spending more than 10% of its total annual allocation on procurement activities. This limit applies solely to purchases of medicines for public health centres and veterinary facilities.

Until now, DPC funds were frequently used for buying a wide range of goods, including biscuits, kitchen utensils, benches, toys, and other supplies, often at inflated prices and regularly each year.

The decision stems from a review meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, where district collectors were invited to share their views. Following this consultation, the Planning Department issued formal guidelines to ensure that DPC resources are directed towards essential development projects.

Under the revised policy, purchases other than human and animal healthcare medicines will be strictly limited, marking a significant shift from previous spending practices. The “Pune Pattern,” which has prohibited non-essential procurement in Pune district for the past two to three years, will now be implemented across Maharashtra.

Audit findings for 2023–24 and 2024–25 highlighted alarming overspending in several districts, including Mumbai City, Thane, Raigad, Ahmednagar, Nandurbar, Jalna, Parbhani, Nanded, Sangli, Solapur, Amravati, Bhandara, and Hingoli, where purchases exceeded the sanctioned limits by 100 to 150 times under general and innovative schemes.

The newly imposed cap is expected to curb such irregularities, promote responsible expenditure, and ensure that the bulk of DPC funds are devoted to critical developmental needs rather than excessive procurement.