Nagpur Mayor Thakre Issues Comprehensive Directives in First Major Review Meeting
In her inaugural comprehensive review session after assuming office, Nagpur Mayor Neeta Thakre has issued a series of significant directives aimed at strengthening municipal governance and improving civic services across the city. The three-hour meeting, held at the municipal headquarters on Wednesday, marked Thakre's first detailed assessment of ongoing and proposed development projects funded by both the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the state government.
Financial Strengthening and Revenue Enhancement Measures
Mayor Thakre placed substantial emphasis on bolstering the corporation's financial health during the extensive review. She directed officials to implement concrete measures to enhance revenue generation through property tax and other municipal sources. "Identifying the properties, the NMC can utilise them for improving basic facilities in the city by generating revenue for the civic body," Thakre stated in post-meeting comments.
The mayor specifically called for:
- A comprehensive inventory of all properties owned by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation
- Expansion of the property tax base to include more properties within the municipal jurisdiction
- Improved recovery mechanisms for existing property taxes and other municipal dues
- Exploration of monetization strategies for civic-owned lands and buildings to bridge resource gaps
Environmental and Infrastructure Initiatives
In a significant environmental move, Mayor Thakre directed officials to explore regulatory provisions to make rainwater harvesting compulsory across Nagpur. This initiative aims to address growing concerns about water stress and groundwater depletion while encouraging greater public participation in sustainable water management practices.
Additional infrastructure and service delivery directives included:
- Implementation of night-time cleaning operations for all major markets
- Priority attention to complaints regarding contaminated water supply
- Strict enforcement actions to remove encroachments from footpaths for pedestrian safety
- Systematic solid waste management improvements to enhance city cleanliness and aesthetics
- Better maintenance and facility upgrades for NMC-run gardens throughout the city
Special Projects and Long-Term Planning
The mayor's review extended to several specific projects requiring immediate attention and planning. Officials were instructed to develop a comprehensive plan to control the stray dog population, explore effective measures for removing water hyacinth from Ambazari Lake, and examine the feasibility of establishing two English-medium schools in each prabhag (administrative ward) of the city.
High-Level Participation and Implementation Focus
The significant meeting witnessed participation from key municipal officials including Deputy Mayor Leela Hathibed, Ruling Party Leader Narendra aka Balya Borkar, Additional Municipal Commissioners Vasumana Pant and Vaishnavi B, Chief Engineer Manoj Talewar, Chief Finance and Accounts Officer Sadashiv Shelke, along with numerous deputy commissioners, superintending engineers, assistant commissioners, and executive engineers representing all municipal zones.
With a clear dual focus on revenue mobilization and enhanced service delivery, Mayor Thakre's maiden comprehensive review signaled an assertive beginning to her mayoral term. The meeting established fiscal discipline and infrastructure improvement as central pillars of her administrative agenda, setting the stage for transformative changes in Nagpur's municipal governance framework.
