Pune Municipal Corporation Struggles with Vacancies Ahead of State Elections

Pune, 23rd June 2024: The upcoming Maharashtra State Assembly Elections are just two to three months away. Meanwhile, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is grappling with administrative challenges due to several vacant key positions.

Specifically, six Deputy Commissioner roles, crucial for managing PMC’s administrative affairs, remain unfilled. Additionally, there is a vacancy for one Additional Commissioner, leaving the PMC Commissioner burdened with overseeing all portfolios. This shortage is visibly impacting administrative efficiency.

Moreover, the engineering team of PMC is also facing a wave of upcoming vacancies in department head positions this year. Failure to promptly appoint new officers could further complicate administrative operations and hinder citizen services.

Currently, out of the 18 Deputy Commissioner positions in PMC, nine are occupied by PMC officers, three by government deputation, and six remain vacant. To manage these gaps, responsibilities have been redistributed among existing Deputy Commissioners. However, this arrangement strains their ability to effectively handle dual roles, thereby affecting PMC’s overall administrative capabilities.

Before the Lok Sabha elections, the Maharashtra State Government transferred four Deputy Commissioners, including PMC Additional Commissioner Vikas Dhakane. Despite these transfers, the vacant positions have yet to be filled. There are discussions surrounding the potential transfer of Additional Commissioner Ravindra Binwade, which, if happens, would further concentrate PMC’s leadership responsibilities on the Commissioner and one Additional Commissioner.

As PMC navigates through these staffing challenges amidst preparations for elections, the timely appointment of qualified officials is crucial to ensure uninterrupted governance and service delivery to the citizens.