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Pimpri-Chinchwad: The Standing Committee of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation on Wednesday put on hold a proposal to spend nearly Rs 75 lakh on security guards for key office-bearers after facing strong criticism of the plan.
The proposal was discussed during the committee’s weekly meeting. It suggested appointing nine security guards for the standing committee chairman, the House leader, and the leader of the opposition for a period of two years. The guards were to be hired through the Maharashtra Ex-Servicemen Corporation Ltd (MESCO).
What Was The Proposal?
According to the proposal, each guard would cost Rs 34,650 per month. The total expense for two years was estimated at Rs 74.85 lakh. The move drew criticism, as the civic body is already facing financial difficulties. Following the backlash, the Standing Committee said the proposal had been brought forward by the administration and decided to shelve it.
Standing Committee Chairman Abhishek Barne defended the proposal during the meeting. He said MESCO personnel are retired soldiers, and office-bearers often attend public events where they are felicitated. He stated that it was not appropriate for retired soldiers to be engaged in tasks such as handing over flower bouquets and garlands during such programmes. He added that this was one of the reasons the proposal had now been dropped.
Vehicle Expenses Reimbursement…
The controversy came at a time when another proposal involving civic office-bearers was also facing public opposition. The Standing Committee had earlier proposed increasing the monthly vehicle expense reimbursement for municipal office bearers and officials to Rs 50,000. The proposal cited rising fuel prices, vehicle maintenance costs, repair expenses, and driver salaries.
The proposal had already been sent to the General Body for final approval. However, after criticism from citizens and activists, Mayor Ravi Landge announced that it would also be filed away during the general body meeting scheduled for May 15.
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Mayor Cancels Intl Trip…
Right to information activist Vijay Kumbhar had strongly objected to the proposal. In a post on the social media platform X, he questioned the need for such a high reimbursement amount. He said Rs 50,000 worth of fuel would amount to nearly 450 to 500 litres every month. He asked whether civic officials were travelling nearly 9,000 kilometres a month, or around 300 kilometres every day.
Meanwhile, Mayor Ravi Landge also announced the cancellation of his proposed visit to Azerbaijan. He was scheduled to attend an international conference of mayors and officials from 194 countries in Baku between May 17 and 22. The mayor announced late on Wednesday night that he would not be going on the study tour.
