PMC plans more ward offices to improve services in merged villages
PMC has proposed increasing number of regional ward offices and carrying out fresh recruitments to improve overall efficiency in merged villages
PUNE: While the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been struggling to address local complaints and provide civic services efficiently since the merger of 34 villages, the civic administration has now proposed increasing the number of regional ward offices and carrying out fresh recruitments to improve overall efficiency.
On Tuesday, municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram and additional municipal commissioner B P Prithviraj held a meeting with all department heads and ward officers to review administrative functioning and ensure quicker response to complaints.
At the meeting, Ram said, “After the merger of 34 villages, the PMC has become the number one corporation in terms of geographical area. But the PMC has not been able to serve citizens properly. The ward offices are expected to address local complaints and carry out road maintenance work for roads less than 12 metres in length but due to insufficient budget, they have not been able to perform effectively. The PMC, especially the standing committee, needs to allocate adequate funds at the ward level.”
Prithviraj said, “The PMC has decided to increase the number of regional ward offices within the corporation limits, along with new recruitments. A detailed proposal will be submitted to the state government very soon.”
Commissioner Ram further directed that the responsibilities related to roads, drainage, and stormwater lines should be handed over to regional ward offices, instead of being controlled centrally by the department heads. He stressed the need for decentralisation and a change in working style, ensuring that ward offices are empowered to function as the first point of contact for local issues.
At present, the PMC has 15 regional ward offices, each covering areas that are larger compared to other municipal corporations in the state, leading in turn to delays in resolving citizens’ complaints, particularly regarding roads and local infrastructure.
