For more than a decade now, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been inviting suggestions from locals on how to spend its civic budget. While the citizen groups and advanced locality management (ALM) bodies play an important role in resolving local civic issues, the 'citizen-participatory budget' in Pune has provided a platform for residents to get involved in the annual budget of the municipal corporation. Also Read: Needed: More Civic Sense Among the assignments suggested by the Pune residents, maximum number of provisions were passed under construction and repair of roads. Tips for civic buildings, electrical lines and sewage lines were also accepted. However, the civic budget should involve a common civic issue across the city. While suggestions can be taken forward through local ALMs, provisions should be made on major common issues. The ALM is a direct partner of neighbourhood groups and deals with specific ward officials. It deals in every kind of local issue, but its primary objective is to focus on waste management and segregation. Also Read: Engaging public has a history Indrani Malkani, Chairman of V Citizens Action Network and an expert on ALMs and resident associations, said, "A participatory municipal budget should have clear details on how citizens should contribute to the budget. While ALMs are strictly local groups, the resident associations are localised groups covering a larger geographical area. Hence, when a municipal budget is formulated, officials need to look at the requirements of the whole city and not only those of a local area. Allocation of funds for a particular area may not be as big a deal as the allocation of an amount needed by the city." Also Read: Success is sweeter when green, prove local civic bodies She further added, "Citizen participation in the budget is a good move, but the process of how citizens can participate and give their suggestions or feedback, needs to be put forward in a clear and simple format. The MCGM cannot look at requirements of various areas as isolated cases. The budget allocation must meet the requirements of the city in an equitable manner. Janwani, an NGO in Pune, was involved to coordinate between the Pune Municipal Corporation and the resident groups of the city for the 'citizen-participatory budget'. Also Read: Hold fortnightly meets for active public response: James John

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