Pune Municipal Commissioner Halts Rs 4.5 Crore Book Purchase Without Tender
Pune, 1st November 2025: A proposal seeking approval to purchase supplementary and business books worth ₹4.5 crore without inviting tenders for municipal schools has been stopped by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Commissioner. The proposal, submitted by the Central Stores Department on behalf of the Education Department, aimed to buy books for students of Classes II to V in the name of “quality improvement.”
According to sources, the proposal sought to procure writing practice and subject-based books for Marathi, Mathematics, English, Intelligence, and Computer studies. It was tabled before the Standing Committee after the completion of the first semester of the academic year.
However, the move immediately raised eyebrows within the PMC administration, as it bypassed the tender process. For the past several years, PMC has been transferring funds for school materials, uniforms, and notebooks directly to parents’ bank accounts to ensure transparency. The decision to reintroduce a direct purchase plan, especially without a tender, triggered discussions among officials.
It is understood that the Education Department, in coordination with certain school principals, had shortlisted books from specific publishers. The proposal explicitly mentioned the plan to proceed without a tender — raising serious questions about procedural transparency and accountability.
Taking note of the issue, Municipal Commissioner Navalkishore Ram reportedly expressed strong displeasure and directed immediate cancellation of the process. He also instructed officials that any irregularities or unnecessary ex
