Pune Municipal Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale has clarified that submitting letters requesting funds does not guarantee approval in the municipal budget. His statement comes amid ongoing discussions over fund allocations, with accusations that projects proposed by former BJP corporators and MLAs have been given preference in the budget.

With municipal elections expected in May, former corporators, MLAs, and aspiring candidates are actively pushing for increased budget allocations for their respective wards. In the past few weeks, PMC has received hundreds of funding requests, with individual letters demanding between ₹50 crore and ₹100 crore.

Adding to the controversy, State Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, during a party meeting in Pune and Solapur, claimed that a significant share of municipal funds would be allocated to their party’s projects. He also revealed that letters had been submitted to PMC, further fueling the debate. Meanwhile, former opposition leaders have raised concerns about unequal distribution of funds and potential bias in budget allocations.

In response to these concerns, Commissioner Bhosale stated that while a large number of funding requests have been received, no requests were submitted privately or in secret—all were officially recorded. These letters came from former corporators, party officials, and aspiring election candidates, requesting substantial fund allocations. However, he emphasized that:

• Not all requested projects will be accepted.

• Only projects deemed necessary by the administration will be included in the final budget.

Maha Vikas Aghadi’s Strong Opposition

Following Minister Chandrakant Patil’s remarks, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders have strongly opposed the budget allocations. At a press conference, MVA leaders warned that if funds are found to be distributed selectively to BJP-dominated wards, they would take legal action against PMC.

During the press conference, MVA leaders alleged that the municipal administration was engaging in biased budget allocations, favoring certain political groups. They warned that such a move would discriminate against the city’s voters.

Key leaders at the press conference included:

• Prashant Jagtap, City President, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar)

• Sanjay More, City Chief, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray)

• Gajanan Tharkude

• Vasant More

• Ashok Harnawal

• Sachin Dodke