Pune: With mayors and deputy mayors, along with leaders of the opposition, already chosen within Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), the standing committee formation now remains a key next step. The standing committee is an important aspect of civic administration, as it approves important proposals and makes key decisions in its weekly meetings.
PMC will have its members chosen for the standing committee on Friday (13th February), while PCMC will choose its standing committee members on 20th February. After the members are chosen, the chairman will be elected, and that person will control the lockers for their civic bodies.
A total of 16 members are chosen for the standing committee. According to PMC’s party-wise seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will choose 12 members, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will choose three, while the Indian National Congress will have one member in the standing committee.
According to PCMC’s party-wise seats, the BJP will have 11 members, the NCP will have four, and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will have one seat in the Pimpri-Chinchwad city.
After the standing committee is formed, offices will be distributed among the elected corporators. After that, co-elected corporators will be elected in both civic bodies. After that, the general body will be formed. According to political observers and official sources, the general body formation will most probably happen by August.
Corporators Begin Lobbying
Being a part of a standing committee is a huge thing for many aspiring politicians. It gives them a chance to lead and demonstrate their skills as politicians, along with being involved in the key decision-making process of the civic body for the city. Since the mayoral candidates were announced, the elected representatives have begun making moves to be a part of a standing committee.
The standing committee doesn't have any reservation, and that's why all the elected corporators in both Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad are in the fray. Being a chairperson of the standing committee has gone a long way in making political careers as well. For example, Pune MP and Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol was a standing committee chairman before he became mayor of Pune. Just like that, before he became an MLA, even Mahesh Landge served as the chairman of the standing committee for PCMC.
Importance of a Standing Committee:
- The Standing Committee acts as the key financial and administrative decision-making body of a municipal corporation.
- It approves budgets, expenditure, and tenders, ensuring control over public funds.
- The committee also monitors and regulates the day-to-day functioning of civic departments.
- It ensures faster decision-making compared to the full general body.
- The standing committee plays a crucial role in policy implementation and project execution.
- It exercises checks and balances on the mayor, municipal commissioner and administration.
- The committee helps maintain financial discipline and accountability.
- It facilitates effective governance by addressing urgent civic matters promptly.
- It also influences development priorities and allocation of resources.
- The standing committee serves as a bridge between elected representatives and the civic administration.
