Even as the year is drawing to a close,the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has reason to raise a toast. On Tuesday,it was honoured with the Best City award by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a rarity for the civic body which has always remained in the shadow of its big brother,the Pune Municipal Corporation. The PCMC,which has an annual budget of Rs 1,200 crore,received the award for its overall performance in implementing development projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Of the 60-odd cities from across the country,PCMC was picked as the best this year for completion of most of the projects and better utilisation of funds. The award consists of a shield and Rs 5 lakh in cash. It was an honour for the PCMC to get the award at the hands of the Prime Minister. Even the state chief secretary to came to receive the award with us,which only shows how much the award means, municipal commissioner Asheesh Sharma said. The civic chief said the PCMC received three awards at the function one for overall performance and other two for water supply and sewage treatment and housing for the poor. Mayor Yogesh Behl said the administration over the years has been up to the mark while implementing the projects and the NCP,which rules the PCMC,has lent the necessary support to ensure that the projects are taken to their logical end. Sharma said the PCMC has completed its sewage treatment plant project under JNNURM. We have eight STPs where we treat cent per cent sewage. Our capacity will go beyond 100 per cent once two more STPs become operational, he said. On the water front,he said except the Pavana water pipeline project,most of the projects are completed. On housing,he said by the end of this year,9,000 families would be shifted to newer flats constructed under the Basic Services to Urban Poor plan of the central government. The PCMC has been sanctioned Rs 2,600 crore under JNNURM for various development works.
