PMC Fails to Utilize ₹250 Crore Allocated for G20 Summit
Pune : Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is required to return ₹70 crore out of the ₹250 crore allocated by the state government for the city’s development during the G20 Summit. The PMC failed to utilize the funds in the last two years, leading to this refund. Poor planning, neglect of development, and administrative mismanagement have been cited as reasons for the unspent funds, raising questions about accountability.
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Notably, International G20 Summit meetings were held in Pune in January and November 2023 to promote sustainable development. Preparations for the event began in 2022. The city secured a major national project with representatives from 20 countries and the World Bank and Asian Bank. Beautification, road repairs, and other development works were carried out in the city during the summit. The government initially allocated ₹50 crore to the PMC for these preparations, followed by an additional ₹200 crore. The PMC proposed projects worth nearly the entire amount and submitted a list to the government.
However, the administration failed to utilize the entire amount. Due to financial pressure from welfare schemes launched before the assembly elections, the government has demanded the return of unspent funds. The unutilized grants include funds allocated from the financial year 2022-23.
A senior official from the PMC accounts department stated that only ₹37 crore out of the initial ₹50 crore allocated to the PMC for G20 preparations was used, while work worth ₹13 crore remained on paper.
Similarly, out of the later allocated ₹200 crore, only ₹143 crore was spent on ongoing projects, and ₹57 crore remained unspent. As a result, the government has sent a letter requesting the return of ₹70 crore.
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The PMC is in a hurry to avoid returning the unspent funds to the government. It has proposed new projects with the remaining funds, and the approval process is in its final stages. In November, the municipal corporation requested an extension of the spending deadline to March 31, 2025.
Despite this, the administration is under pressure as the government has once again demanded the return of unspent money.
The funds remained unutilized as work orders were not issued, even though tenders were finalized.
According to an order issued by Deputy Secretary of Urban Development, Shrikant Anj, on July 10, the unspent amount, along with any accrued interest, should be returned. The PMC is collecting details about fund allocation from various departments.
