Tukaram Mundhe is new Mpl Commissioner
| Date :22-Jan-2020 |
Tukaram Mundhe
Staff Reporter :
Tukaram Mundhe is going to be next Municipal Commissioner at Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). He replaces Abhijit Bangar whose orders are yet to be issued by the State. Maharashtra Government carried out another reshuffle of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers on Tuesday wherein as expected Munde was posted to the NMC. At present, Mundhe was working as Project Director, Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society, Mumbai. To accommodate Mundhe, Maharashtra Government has upgraded the post of Municipal Commissioner, NMC, to Selection Grade.
Known for his cudgels against corruption and cracking down on indiscipline on administrative front, Mundhe has frequent run ins with elected representatives as well as employees during his every posting. He was never able to complete his tenure at any of his previous posting the officer is not known to compromise or back down on set targets. The posting of Mundhe was on cards as local leaders were keen on bringing the upright officer in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) controlled NMC, said the sources. This is going to be second stint of Mundhe in the city. Mundhe had a very short tenure as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Nagpur Zilla Parishad. In this particular posting, the officer was embroiled in lot of controversies and acting promptly the then Democratic Front Government had immediately transferred Mundhe out of Nagpur.
His style of working failed to cut ice with the employees who raised a banner of revolt and later office-bearers adopted a resolution seeking recall of Mundhe. For Mundhe the immediate task on hand at NMC is preparing the Commissioner’s budget. Given the precarious state of civic body’s finances, Commissioner Budget and that too by Mundhe would be widely anticipated. Already outgoing Municipal Commissioner applied 25 per cent cuts to development works as machinery of civic body missed the revenue target. In fact, during his short tenure at Pimpri Chinchwad Mundhe had set right the working at civic run transport department and pulled it out of doldrums and even posted profit.
Similar miracle is needed for streamlining the city bus service that is running in huge losses inspite of tremendous potential it has in pulling in many more commuters. Another department wherein Mundhe’’s miracle touch can be expected is the Property Tax front as the tax assessment and tax realisation is something that needs a thorough surgery. Meanwhile, for Mundhe this happens to be the 12th posting in a span of two years as his no- nonsense way of working however fails to work with the juniors who are well ensconced in their respective shells since long.
At NMC too the most challenging task is disciplining the bureaucratic machinery as dilly-dallying in decision making is hampering good decision from ruling establishment. Even Mayor Sandip Joshi has openly voiced his frustration at slow pace of working style of NMC babudom. For the ruling BJP group in NMC, adjusting with Tukaram Mundhe style of working remains to be seen. Mundhe is likely to take-up his new posting within next few days as the transfer order directs him to hand over present charge to Principal Secretary-I, Health, Maharashtra Government. Bangar was relatively quite junior when he was hand-picked by then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and brought as Municipal Commissioner at NMC. The BJP establishment had a tussle with then Commissioner Virendra Singh and he went on leave and was later transferredby State Government.
Mayor hails appointment Mayor Sandip Joshi has hailed the appointment of Tukaram Mundhe as the Municipal Commissioner at NMC and felt that under new boss the civic employees would work with more vigour and administration would not be found wanting in meeting expectations of Nagpurians. He also appreciated the work done by Abhijit Bangar in trying to bring discipline among employees and ensure uniformity in working pattern of NMC administration. At many fronts there was good work done under his stewardship and hopefully same enthusiasm would be seen further ahead in civic body.