PUNE, June 21: Municipal Commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi considers the demand for discontinuing the citizens’ stake holders groups as a “positive development” in his attempt to bring in transparency in the functioning of the civic administration and make it more people-oriented. When contacted, Pardeshi told The Indian Express that he had no plans to discontinue the functioning of the citizens stake holder groups.

“It is a positive development that the demand has been made. It shows that the citizens’ groups certainly help in solving the local problems of the citizens. The corporators should also not object to the citizens’ groups,” he suggested. “It is really difficult for a corporator to attend each and every complaint received from the citizens everyday. If the local problems of garbage, water supply, etc are solved by the citizens themselves, the corporators will find time to concentrate on long-term planning of development projects in their wards,” he said.

Pardeshi added, “The population of the township is nearly seven lakh. It is more easier for the civic administration to realize their problems through the citizens’ stake holder groups.”

The constitution of the citizens’ groups however is in for a change with immediate effect. Pardeshi said that any person involved with any political party, or anyone who has contested the civic election will not be a member of the stake holder groups. Such persons in the existing groups will be identified and their membership will be terminated, he said.