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PCMC to introduce separate climate budget in upcoming financial plan
PCMC becomes second municipal corporation in India after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to introduce separate climate budget in its upcoming financial plan
PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has become only the second municipal corporation in India after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to introduce a separate “climate budget” in its upcoming financial plan. The decision was taken on September 26 after extensive research carried out by a private agency which outlined a framework of guiding principles, policies and procedures for the climate budget.
The findings have been approved by PCMC commissioner Shekhar Singh and will be implemented in the next fiscal plan. “This initiative aims to ensure that funds are systematically allocated for eco-friendly projects designed to combat air and water pollution, reduce carbon emissions, and restore environmental balance in the rapidly growing urban landscape,” Singh said.
“It is not about the immediate project, but now that we will be finalising the budget in the next three months, we intend to take up projects among which some have direct effects, some have indirect effects, and some will be like enabling projects which work towards sustainability and climate change goals. This budget will also include several projects on which we are currently working. For example, the Talwade biodiversity project, an urban forest spread over 70 acres that will have a direct impact on climate goals; the Harit Setu project; and the sustainable mobility project are among the projects that will be part of the climate budget,” Singh said.
A PCMC official on condition of anonymity said that a separate climate budget will help the civic body better address local environmental concerns and take timely action against rising challenges.
Recently, Pimpri-Chinchwad experienced several extreme weather events. Since March this year, there have been several incidents wherein both the recorded temperature and rainfall have been significantly higher during the summer and monsoon, respectively. Recently on September 24, the twin city recorded 133 mm of rainfall within a day. During summer, the temperature, too, rose up to 37 to 38 degrees Celsius in Pimpri-Chinchwad. There are several air pollution hotspots too including Chakan, Bhosari and Chinchwad. Besides, water pollution in rivers such as the Indrayani and Pawana has raised concerns among citizens and authorities. Considering all this, the corporation decided to introduce a separate climate budget as part of the PCMC’s upcoming financial budget. The BMC was the first corporation in the country to introduce a separate climate budget. The Bangalore municipal corporation too is working on similar lines.
Although the PCMC has not yet made any financial provision for the separate climate budget, work is underway and it will be finalised in the next two to three months. The budget will be introduced in FY 2025-26 and it will be fully operational from 2026-27, Singh said.
PCMC to start sustainability cell in Oct
Along with the climate budget, the PCMC is also working on a sustainability cell which is likely to be active in October, Singh said. “We have classified six priority sectors to work on sustainability and climate goals, and the work will be undertaken by this sustainability cell. Both the sustainability cell and climate budget will work hand-in-hand and going forward, we are also planning to index the project on a sustainability scale,” Singh said.
