Mumbai's New 21-Point Agenda for BMC: A Blueprint for Clean and Efficient Governance

MUMBAI: In a bid to transform Mumbai's civic infrastructure and governance, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has unveiled a 21-point agenda for the newly elected 89 corporators of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The agenda, which will be implemented within the first 100 days of office, aims to address critical issues ranging from road infrastructure to cleanliness and healthcare.

Addressing the corporators at the BJP’s Dadar office, Fadnavis emphasized the importance of corruption-free administration and the need for effective collaboration among new and experienced members. “We have come to power in the BMC for the first time, and it is your duty to ensure that the party creates its image in the hearts of the people,” he said. Fadnavis assured the corporators of support whenever needed, acknowledging that their role is more challenging than that of MPs or MLAs, as they are the front-line representatives who face the brunt of civic issues.

Fadnavis also stressed the importance of learning from senior members and working together to achieve the party's goals. “It is a perfect combination of new and experienced corporators in the civic body,” he said. “The responsibility lies with both, the new and the old, to support each other, provide a corruption-free administration, and work towards making Mumbai clean as promised in the party manifesto.”

Following the two-day training programme, which concluded on Sunday, the party announced a detailed 21-point agenda to be pursued by Ritu Tawde, the newly appointed mayor of Mumbai. Party leaders indicated that five of these issues would be addressed before March 11, marking the completion of Tawde's first month in office.

BJP Mumbai president Ameet Satam highlighted the potential for political turbulence within the BMC, referencing a long-standing perception of the civic body’s functioning. He recalled how former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had once remarked in the assembly that the BMC’s standing committee functioned as an “understanding committee.” “The Mahayuti’s vision is to bring an end to that understanding in the standing committee,” Satam said.

Satam also reported that progress has already been made on the 21-point programme. “Before 20 days were over, four issues were resolved,” he said. One of these was the procurement of supplies through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal. The education department purchases 27 items for students from municipal schools, and a proposal for this, routed through the education committee to the municipal secretary in the standing committee, was withdrawn. “The BJP is determined to ensure transparency in procurement through the GeM portal,” Satam emphasized.

Satam added that there were “many elements in the BMC” that wanted this system to fail. “Hence, I want to convey to this administration that we will not allow any purchase from contractors. If the items are not purchased from the GeM portal, we will transfer money to students’ accounts through direct benefit transfer. But we will not allow contractor rule at any cost.”

The 21-point agenda includes several key initiatives to improve the city's infrastructure and services. These include improving road infrastructure, desilting of drains, enhancements in municipal hospitals and schools, the creation of multiplex facilities for Marathi films, and providing cervical cancer vaccination to girl students. Actor Akshay Kumar, who has been roped into a civic initiative titled Awaaz Mumbaikaracha, Sankalp Bhajpacha, suggested that the BMC organize cleanliness competitions across localities in the city. A neutral third-party agency will evaluate neighborhoods and recognize the cleanest locality after a year.

Cleanliness in house gullies and slums will also be a primary focus. To address the chronic problem of waterlogging in Mumbai, Mayor Tawde has proposed a topographical study of all city drains to identify permanent solutions. A study group from IIT Bombay has been approached, and the process has already begun.

Another proposal involves inviting global tenders to bring in international agencies for managing the operations of Byculla Zoo. The aim, Satam said, is to ensure that specialized work such as zoo management is carried out by qualified agencies rather than routine civic contractors who handle road works and sewer lines.

With these ambitious plans, the BMC aims to transform Mumbai into a cleaner, more efficient, and better-governed city, setting a new standard for urban development in India.