PCB completes demarcation of eight wards

Taking into consideration the directives related to reservations for scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs) and women, the board has reserved ward numbers 2, 5 and 6 for women, while ward number 4 has been reserved for SCs

PUNE: While the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) will start its election-related work upon receipt of the official programme from the ministry of defence, it has completed demarcation of eight wards with three of them reserved for women and one for scheduled castes (SCs). Taking into consideration the directives related to reservations for scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs) and women, the board has reserved ward numbers 2, 5 and 6 for women, while ward number 4 has been reserved for SCs.

Elections to the PCB were held in January 2015, and the new board was formed on February 10, 2015 and expired on February 10, 2020. (HT PHOTO)

Chief executive officer (CEO) of the PCB, Subrat Pal, said that the board had only received an official communication regarding the election notification but the detailed programme had not yet been received. “The remaining work of updating the voter names in the list after submission of relevant documentary proof will be undertaken soon although the list has been finalised,” he said.

Since dissolution of the elected body after expiry of the elected board in 2021, the PCB has been administered by the CEO, assisted by nominated members under the overall supervision of the PCB president. Elections to the PCB were held in January 2015, and the new board was formed on February 10, 2015 and expired on February 10, 2020 but elections were put on hold due to Covid-19 restrictions. The ministry of defence extended the board tenure twice for a period of six months each under the Cantonment Act, 2006.

The PCB is facing one of its worst financial crises with Rs500 crores worth of goods and services tax (GST) dues pending before the state government since 2017, and civic infrastructure projects worth over Rs600 crores in limbo due to non-availability of GST funds and central funds dwindling over the years. The board has been seriously considering monetising its assets to bring in the desired revenues to keep the administration afloat in the absence of central funds. A proposal to merge the PCB with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has also been actively discussed and is pending before the ministry of defence since a long time.

Reserves three for women, one for SCs