Pune: The standing committee of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on Monday approved the draft budget for 2026–27, incorporating additional works worth around Rs 450 crore. The revised budget of Rs 9,322 crore will now be placed before the general body on March 24 for final approval.Standing committee chairman Abhishek Barne said nearly 200 to 250 new works suggested by members have been included in the budget.“The draft prepared during the administrative rule had missed several key projects related to basic civic amenities. We have tried to incorporate most of the recommendations, largely focusing on water supply and drainage works,” he said.Barne said while funds have not yet been allocated for all the newly proposed works, separate budgetary sub-heads have been created to facilitate their execution in the future.He also noted that the original budget lacked concrete measures to boost revenue.“We have increased the expected revenue from property tax and the building permission department,” he said, adding that coordinated efforts in both departments can help improve overall revenue collection.According to Barne, new projects in the developing areas could further augment revenue through building permissions. Last month, the municipal corporation announced an amnesty scheme for property tax defaulters, under which those who pay their dues between March 1 and March 31 will be eligible for a 90% waiver on penalties imposed on their arrears.The PCMC budget, prepared during the administrative rule, was presented to the standing committee on Feb 28. Members had raised several objections and sought clarifications, including on ward-wise fund allocation, delaying its approval in the previous two meetings.For the past four years, the PCMC budget was presented and approved by the municipal commissioner acting as administrator, in the absence of elected representatives. The administration’s draft had largely focused on ongoing projects, with no major new works proposed.
