Mumbai: The MahaYuti govt’s appointment of Guardian Ministers for all 36 districts in Maharashtra and its subsequent decision to stall the selection for Nashik and Raigad due to differences between the three parties raises questions about why the post is so coveted. The Shiv Sena and NCP have publicly squabbled over appointment for Raigad district while BJP and NCP are both keen on Nashik where a Kumbh will be held this year. Once considered a ceremonial or consultative post, the Guardian Minister (GM) has acquired political clout and administrative control.
The GM chairs the District Planning Council (DPC) which has, at its disposal, funds for local development work and beautification. Ministers from a district, corporators, mayors, MLAs/MLCs and MPs are members or invitees to a DPC while the collector is member secretary. Top officers like municipal commissioners are also invitees. Officials said usually in Mumbai, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority oversees disbursal of DPC funds basis of proposals by corporators or MLAs. Some DPC projects are also executed by BMC. With no elected local bodies in the state for over two years, ex-bureaucrats and the opposition say the GM today has become the ‘CM’ of the district. Such is the inflow of funds into DPCs, govt now appoints a Joint Guardian Minister too, who could be an MLA or MLC.
A former IAS officer said Maharashtra was among the first states to adopt the DPC model of decentralized planning and execution. “In this process districts have discretion to prioritize among various schemes within the outlays provided. In the 1960s govt adopted a policy of balanced development using the district as a unit for formulation of Five-year Plans and Annual Plans,” the ex-bureaucrat said.
More funds at stake
But with funds coming into DPCs increasing and MLAs exerting pressure on govts for more projects and welfare schemes in their constituencies, the stakes are higher.
For instance, DPC for Mumbai suburbs budgeted Rs 239 crore for developmental work in 2015. By 2024 it had provisions for Rs 1,088 crore. This included Rs 1,012 crore under District Annual Plan (General), Rs 71 crore for Scheduled Caste Schemes and Rs 5.71 crore under the OTSP (Outside Tribal Sub-Plan) scheme. In 2023-2024, all DPCs put together got Rs 13,446 crore, which officials said explains the squabble to become Chairpersons.
There are supposed to be checks and balances in place. As per Planning Department guidelines, a DPC’s plans have to be approved by govt. “Funds are distributed to implementing agencies through the collector. District-level departments implement the schemes and the Collector and CEO of Zilla Parishad take monthly reviews. Also a divisional-level review is done with regional heads along with Collectors and CEOs,” an official said.
Where’s the catch?
However, the DPC’s role can overlap with the functions and long-term objectives of the civic administration. For instance, the opposition has slammed the govt for the “interference” by Mumbai Suburban Guardian Minister, BJP’s Mangal Prabhat Lodha, in the BMC’s work. In 2023, BMC gave an office to Lodha in its headquarters.
Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh said DPC funds have to be allotted based on a district’s population and must be equally available to all MLAs in a district. “But now only ruling party MLAs get funds. DPC is a fully political instrument not administrative,” Shaikh said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC and Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Ambadas Danve said, “Legislators were invitees to DPCs. But now they have taken over. Instead of focusing on state-level work they are only interested in doing local works through DPC. The political interference has increased after 2022 when the Shiv Sena split and senior netas went out of their way to lure MLAs,” Danve said. “There is a Maha Kumbh in Nashik this year. Hundreds of crores will be spent through DPC. So the Guardian Minister will control the money. That is why there is a tussle for Nashik. Guardian Ministers are also interfering in police and civic transfers. They are like the CM of a district, that is why there is demand for the post,” he said.
