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While promising adequate funds to Pune’s suburbs, Chief Minister (CM) Eknath Shinde has directed Pune Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar to make the necessary budgetary provisions for merged villages.
The CM’s response came in response to a discussion on the lack of development in these areas.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA from Wadgaon Sheri, Sunil Tingre raised the issue of merged villages and poor infrastructure in these areas in the assembly. It was even demanded that the taxes for merging villages be reduced because there is insufficient infrastructure.
Tingre said, “I have asked that the property tax for merge villages be reduced until the civic body can provide good roads, water, drainage and other infrastructure. The CM has now promised to look into it and that the merged areas would receive justice from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).”
Opposition leader Ajit Pawar and Congress MLA Sanjay Jagtap also spoke in the assembly about issues pertaining to merged villages.
Elaborating on the topic, CM Shinde said, “The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) devised a ₹1200 crore development strategy for 23 villages. The PMC had made the development plan for 11 merged villages. The Maharashtra government is positive about providing all basic infrastructure to these 34 villages.”
He further added that the Municipal Commissioner was briefed to appropriate the necessary budgetary funds for these areas.
“Even when wards are delineated, the government will ensure that these areas receive the most political representation,” the CM added.
Previously, even though 34 villages were merged into the Municipal limit on two separate occasions – in 2017 and 2021 – the state government had empowered the PMRDA to grant building permits and collect revenue.
With relatively low land prices, these merged areas have seen rapid real estate development in recent years, with major projects planned.
On the one hand, it has increased the population density of these areas, but there has been no development. The majority of merged areas lack proper roads. These areas also face issues such as insufficient water, a lack of drainage and sewage systems, and illegal constructions.
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