Nagpur Mayor’s First Review Meet: Mandatory Rainwater Harvesting, Wider Tax Net To Get Top Priority | Nagpur News

Nagpur: In her first comprehensive review meeting after assuming office, mayor Neeta Thakre on Wednesday directed the civic administration to make rainwater harvesting mandatory across the city, widen the property tax base, improve revenue recovery, and submit a detailed inventory of all properties owned by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).Chairing a 3-hour meeting at the municipal headquarters, Thakre conducted a department-wise review of ongoing and proposed development projects funded by both the NMC and the state govt. Stressing the need to strengthen the corporation’s finances, she asked officials to suggest concrete measures to enhance revenue through property tax and other sources.

“Identifying the properties, the NMC can utilise them for improving basic facilities in the city by generating revenue for the civic body,” Thakre told TOI after the meeting. She sought a comprehensive list of civic-owned lands and buildings, indicating that monetisation and better management of these assets could help bridge resource gaps.The mayor also emphasised improving tax recovery and expanding the property tax ambit, underlining that enhanced revenue is critical to delivering quality civic services. She directed officials to explore regulatory provisions to make rainwater harvesting compulsory, urging greater public participation to tackle water stress and groundwater depletion.On the civic services front, Thakre instructed departments to ensure night-time cleaning of all major markets, address complaints of contaminated water supply as a priority, and take strict action to make footpaths encroachment-free for pedestrian safety. She also called for systematic solid waste management to enhance the city’s cleanliness and aesthetics, along with better maintenance and facilities in NMC-run gardens.Among other directives, the mayor asked officials to prepare a plan to control the stray dog population, explore measures to remove water hyacinth from Ambazari Lake, and examine the feasibility of starting 2 English-medium schools in each prabhag. The meeting was attended by 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, and several deputy commissioners, superintending engineers, assistant commissioners, and executive engineers from all zones.With a clear focus on revenue mobilisation and service delivery, Thakre’s maiden review signalled an assertive start, placing fiscal discipline and infrastructure improvement at the centre of her mayoral agenda.# On The Mayor’s RadarNight-time cleaning of all major marketsComplaints of contaminated water supply a priorityStrict action to make footpaths encroachment-freePlan to control stray dog populationMeasures to remove water hyacinth from Ambazari LakeFeasibility of starting 2 English-medium schools in each prabhag