Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has begun preparations for the Swachhata Survey 2024, aiming to improve its national cleanliness ranking. Despite significant efforts, NMC has been stuck at the 27th rank for the last two years. To address this, the civic body had engaged consultancy firm KPMG, paying ₹2.40 crore for a two-year term ending this December. However, questions have been raised about extending the firm’s contract, sparking public criticism over the use of taxpayers’ money.
In December 2022, NMC appointed KPMG to provide strategic guidance to enhance the city’s cleanliness ranking. However, results have been disappointing, with the city retaining its 27th position in both 2022 and 2023, despite substantial financial investment. Conscious citizens have voiced concerns about continuing to fund such consultancy services without tangible improvements.
In a related issue, garbage collection services in the city, outsourced to two private firms since November 2019, have also come under scrutiny. Despite outsourcing, the city’s cleanliness situation remains unsatisfactory. Municipal Commissioner Dr. Abhijit Chaudhari recently issued notices to AG Enviro (handling Zones 1-5) and BVG (handling Zones 6-10), giving them a three-month ultimatum to improve their services.
The debate over the efficacy of outsourcing and consultancy services underscores growing public demand for accountability and effective utilization of public funds in ensuring a cleaner Nagpur.