By Ira Deshpande
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has ordered urgent infrastructure repairs in several gram panchayats in Pune district. He made this clear during a meeting at Mantralaya on Monday.
The villages affected include Ranjangaon Ganpati, Karegaon, Dhokasangvi, and Hivare. Rapid population growth is overwhelming their basic amenities.
Ranjangaon Ganpati was previously a small village of around 11,000 people. Over time, migration and spillover from the nearby MIDC industrial area have increased its resident count to over 2,00,000. Daily visitors and religious pilgrims also add to the load.
Water supply is inconsistent. Roads are in poor condition. Drainage systems are weak. Waste management is unable to cope with its increased load. All these are major concerns raised by the local gram panchayats. In the meeting, Ajit Pawar said that MIDC must work closely with the District Council and other bodies on development projects.
He told officials to act fast. He wants all ongoing and planned infrastructure work monitored without delay. There were many attendees. They included Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Gulabrao Patil.
Also present were MLA Dilip Walse-Patil, senior secretaries for planning, rural & urban development, and other high-level bureaucrats. Also attending were the Pune Divisional Commissioner, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority Chief, the District Collector, and the Zilla Parishad CEO via video link.
Pawar has asked for frequent updates from all involved bodies. He stressed that improving these villages is not just a civic need. It also matters for sustainable growth in the Pune district. Officials have been asked to track their work closely. They will submit regular progress reports to the Deputy CM. Pawar further stressed that timely execution is essential
for the villages.