Govt forms panel for development work in villages merged with PMC

The state government has constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Divisional Commissioner to review the lack of basic civic amenities plaguing the 34 villages that have been merged with the city in the last five years and estimate the cost for infrastructure development. It has also urged the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to do proper planning for its execution. However, the move of the state government has been met with opposition from some political leaders, who argue that it is the right of elected representatives to plan the development of city areas and not that of the administrative officers.

On March 16 this year, NCP legislator Sunil Tingre had raised the issue of lack of civic infrastructure in the 34 villages merged with the PMC in the last five years in the state legislative assembly. “There seems to be lot of unrest against the state government from locals for failure to provide basic civic facilities such as water, road, drainage, gardens for the area. There has been no development… inspite of becoming part of city.

The state government had assured to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of the Divisional Commissioner and municipal commissioner as well as elected representatives of the area in the committee. There are no elected representatives of the civic body due to delay in holding municipal polls. However, the move has not gone down well with corporators. Former BJP corporator Ujjwal Keskar said the constitution of the committee for 34 villages is illegal and against the provision of law, which declares municipal corporation as an autonomous body. The state government move is an attack on the powers of the civic body, he said.