Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) proposed cultural policy has been shelved following controversy over its approval process and concerns regarding the advisory board members. Municipal Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale, in a Standing Committee meeting held today, decided to cancel the policy, stating that a future decision on drafting a new one will be taken after further discussions.
Background of the Cultural Policy
Since Pune is recognized as Maharashtra’s cultural capital, the Municipal Corporation had decided in 2023-24 to introduce an independent cultural policy. To develop this framework, a committee was formed, comprising city-based artists, experts from various fields, and public representatives. Based on their inputs, a comprehensive policy was drafted.
The policy aimed to:
Encourage citizen participation in cultural festivals
Provide infrastructure support to artists and cultural centers
Offer platforms for art exhibitions and musical performances
Boost tourism and local business growth through cultural initiatives
However, following recent administrative reshuffles within PMC, the policy was never officially discussed with Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale. In a previous Standing Committee meeting, the commissioner had indicated that the matter would be addressed in the next session. However, in today’s meeting, he opted to cancel the policy entirely.
Speaking on the decision, Dr. Rajendra Bhosale stated: "In today’s meeting, we have decided to cancel the cultural policy. A decision on whether to draft a new policy will be made after further discussions."