PCMC mayor cancels Azerbaijan visit, drops fuel allowance hike following PM’s austerity call

Pune: Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has scrapped two major proposals that would have significantly increased civic expenditure following public criticism and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for national austerity.The first pertained to increasing the monthly fuel allowance for Class-I officers and office-bearers from Rs39,000 to Rs50,000. The civic body had approved the proposal last month and the hike was slated for final approval during the general body meeting on May 15 but mayor Landge announced on Thursday that the hike would no longer proceed.In a separate decision on Wednesday, the standing committee also rejected a proposal to appoint private security guards for the standing committee chairman, the leader of the House, and the leader of the opposition.In a further move toward fiscal restraint, mayor Ravi Landge also cancelled his upcoming official visit to Azerbaijan.Standing committee chairman Abhishek Barne had previously defended the increase in fuel allowance, noting that it had not been revised since 2017 despite soaring inflation and fuel prices. Civic officials also argued that the 50,000 allowance was more cost-effective than hiring private vehicles, which can cost the city between 1 lakh and 1.5 lakh per month. "The proposal is being withdrawn and will be officially rescinded during the general body meeting," Landge stated.The civic body had earlier sought to hire personnel from the Maharashtra Ex-Servicemen Corporation (MESCO) at an estimated cost of Rs75 lakh over two years. Currently, security detail is reserved exclusively for the mayor, deputy mayor, municipal commissioner, and additional Commissioner.Public activists and residents' groups had strongly opposed both measures, calling them "tone-deaf" given the current economic climate.Mayor Landge was scheduled to attend the World Urban Forum in Azerbaijan from May 17 to May 22. Citing global energy crisis and the need to curb unnecessary spending, Landge declared he would refrain from all foreign tours for at least a year unless specifically mandated by the state or central government.To promote fuel conservation, the mayor also appealed to fellow corporators to lead by example by using public transport or bicycles for their daily commute.Civic activist Sudhir Deshmukh welcomed the move, stating, "corporators are public servants. Citizens should not be forced to bear the burden of maintaining private luxury for officials, especially when the common man is already struggling with inflationary pressures."