Opposition blames BJP, Singh for PCMC’s shrinking reserves

From 76,862.89 crore in 2016 to 74,894 crore now — opposition blames BJP, administrators for civic body’s financial mess

- Varad Bhatkhande

Once hailed as one of Asia’s richest civic bodies, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has seen its reserves dip sharply in the past eight years.

According to official data, PCMC’s general and reserved funds — which stood at Rs6,862.89 crore in 2016 when the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) controlled the corporation — have now fallen by Rs1,968 crore, leaving deposits of Rs4,894 crore.

From 2002 to 2017, the unified NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, dominated PCMC and left it with healthy finances. However, after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2017, followed by a period of administrative rule since 2022, the civic body’s financial reputation has taken a hit.