IAS Officer to Be Appointed as Additional Commissioner in Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation

Pimpri-Chinchwad: In a significant administrative development, the state government has decided to appoint an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer on deputation to the post of Additional Commissioner (I) in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). With this move, two senior civil service officers will now be serving in the municipal corporation.

The decision is being viewed as an important step toward enhancing transparency, accelerating decision-making and strengthening strategic control in the city’s administration.

The state government has issued a defined procedure regarding the appointment of Additional Commissioners in municipal corporations. As per the new guidelines:

• One of the three Additional Commissioner posts will be reserved for an IAS officer.

• If available, an officer from the Maharashtra Urban Administrative Service (Group-A, Deputy Commissioner cadre) will be appointed.

• If no eligible officer from the concerned cadre is available, an officer from the state service will be appointed on deputation.

• One Additional Commissioner will be appointed through promotion from among local officers.

This structured framework is expected to eliminate uncertainty in appointments and bring greater discipline to civic administration.

Decision Amid Past Controversy

The post of Additional Commissioner (I) had previously witnessed disputes among officers. Against this backdrop, former Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh had requested the state government to appoint a senior civil service officer to one of the Additional Commissioner posts. The government has now responded positively by modifying the appointment procedure.

Currently, three Additional Commissioners are serving in PCMC, all from the state service. In the past, officers from the Revenue Department’s Additional District Collector cadre were typically appointed. However, in recent years, officers from departments such as Railways, Goods and Services Tax (GST), and Rural Development have also been given opportunities.

New Criteria for Local Officers

Changes have also been introduced in the promotion criteria for appointing an Additional Commissioner from among local officers. Eligibility requirements now include:

• A minimum of 15 years of service as Assistant Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner.

• 15 years of experience as a department head in the rank equivalent to or above Deputy Commissioner.

• At least nine “Outstanding” entries in the last ten years’ confidential performance reports.

These criteria are expected to strengthen merit-based selection in the civic body.

Awaiting Full-Time Commissioner

Meanwhile, on October 7, 2025, Shekhar Singh was transferred as Commissioner of the Nashik Kumbh Mela. Following his transfer, Shravan Hardikar, Managing Director of Maha Metro, was given additional charge as Municipal Commissioner.

For the past four months, the municipal corporation has been functioning without a full-time commissioner. As a result, attention is now focused on the appointment of a permanent commissioner to ensure administrative stability.

The appointment of an IAS officer as Additional Commissioner is being viewed not merely as an administrative change, but as a strategic step toward more disciplined governance in a rapidly growing city. Observers expect improved speed in decision-making, stronger financial discipline and stricter implementation of development projects in the coming months.