Pune: Maharashtra State Government Forms Committee For Development In 34 Villages Merged With PMC, Faces Opposition
Pune, 22nd June 2023: The Maharashtra state government has announced the formation of a committee comprising people’s representatives, chaired by the divisional commissioner, to oversee development initiatives in 34 villages within the Pune Municipal Corporation’s jurisdiction. The government has also allocated adequate funds for these developmental projects.
The orders for the committee formation were issued today, triggering opposition from former corporators who criticized the decision, asserting that no other committee should supersede the municipal corporation’s authority.
In 2017, eleven villages were included in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), followed by an additional 23 villages in 2021. However, two villages, Uruli Devachi and Fursungi, were excluded from the municipality. Presently, the Pune Municipal Corporation encompasses 32 villages.
The villages included in this expansion lack essential infrastructure such as roads, electricity, water, and waste management systems. Sunil Tingre, MLA of Vadgaonsheri, highlighted this issue in the Legislative Assembly, emphasizing that despite the municipality collecting taxes from these villages’ residents, the corresponding amenities were insufficient.
The government has committed to establishing a committee, led by the Divisional Commissioner, to address the challenges faced by the involved villages. The committee is expected to comprise local people’s representatives, oversee development projects, formulate policies, and ensure their implementation.
Shiv Sena city chief Nana Bhangire had previously written a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, drawing attention to the issues in the affected villages. In response, the state’s urban development department issued an order today to establish the committee. Copies of this letter were sent to both the Pune Municipal Commissioner and the Pune Divisional Commissioner.
While the state government’s decision is in effect, former corporators of the Pune Municipal Corporation have voiced their opposition. The Pune Municipality is responsible for the development plan for villages included in 2017, while the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) handles villages added in 2021. PMRDA is also responsible for granting construction permissions in the area, and Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) within PMRDA limits is permissible. The decision to form the committee aims to address the questions raised by MLAs in the Legislative Assembly.
However, critics argue that this decision violates the 74th amendment of the constitution and encroaches upon the authority of local bodies.
Former opposition leaders Ujjwal Keskar, Suhas Kulkarni, and former corporator Prashant Badhe have demanded that an unauthorized committee should not supersede the Pune Municipal Corporation’s jurisdiction.
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