BMC clears ₹2.27 crore consultant for ‘Participate Mumbai’ citizen-CSR platform

BMC approves Ernst & Young LLP as technical consultant for "Participate Mumbai", a citizen-engagement platform connecting public, NGOs, and corporates for civic development.

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) plan to launch “Participate Mumbai”, a citywide citizen-engagement and corporate social responsibility (CSR) platform aimed at channelling public participation into civic development, moved a step closer to implementation after the civic Standing Committee on Friday approved the appointment of M/s Ernst & Young LLP as its technical management consultant.

BMC clears ₹2.27 crore consultant for ‘Participate Mumbai’ citizen-CSR platform

The consultancy, valued at approximately ₹2.27 crore, including GST and supervisory charges, will support the planning and implementation of the initiative for 24 months, with a provision for extension of up to 12 months based on performance. Conceived as a centralised digital platform, Participate Mumbai seeks to connect citizens, NGOs and corporates with municipal initiatives ranging from cleanliness drives and tree plantation campaigns to health camps, education support programmes, awareness drives and other community welfare activities.

The platform is intended to address the absence of a unified mechanism through which citizens can contribute to civic development while enabling corporates to participate in approved municipal projects through CSR funding and in-kind support.

The initiative will cover sectors, including education, health, environment, infrastructure, social inclusion, skill development and disaster management. Citizens will be able to volunteer for activities such as mentoring, digital literacy, health awareness, environmental conservation and community outreach programmes. CSR participation, meanwhile, is expected to support public infrastructure, healthcare facilities, educational institutions and sustainability projects.

Environmental interventions under the platform will include tree plantation, waste segregation, water conservation, biodiversity protection and pollution-control measures, backed by investments in sustainable infrastructure and green technologies.

The civic administration also expects the initiative to encourage community ownership of public assets, promote behavioural change through awareness campaigns and improve access to services for marginalised groups.

A key feature of Participate Mumbai will be real-time monitoring of projects, allowing citizens, volunteers and donors to track the outcomes of their contributions. The platform is also expected to enable participation from Mumbai supporters living elsewhere in India and abroad.

To encourage participation, the BMC plans to issue certificates and publicly recognise contributors through mechanisms such as a “Wall of Fame” after projects are completed. Under the approved proposal, M/s Ernst & Young LLP will design and manage the digital platform, establish monitoring systems, coordinate stakeholders, integrate CSR participation and develop impact-assessment frameworks. The firm was selected based on its prior experience in municipal governance and waste-management projects.