Pune’s municipal administration has launched a digital participation programme inviting residents to contribute ideas and priorities for the city’s upcoming civic budget. The initiative, branded as My Pune My Budget, allows citizens to submit suggestions online for the financial year 2026–27, signalling a broader push toward participatory urban governance as cities look for more inclusive ways to shape infrastructure planning.
The programme enables residents to share recommendations on a range of municipal services, including road infrastructure, water supply systems, healthcare facilities, public spaces and traffic management. Inputs can be submitted through an online form accessed via a QR code, with the civic administration accepting responses over a limited consultation window. Urban governance experts say programmes such as My Pune My Budget reflect a growing trend among Indian cities to incorporate citizen feedback into financial planning and development priorities. As metropolitan regions expand rapidly, traditional top-down planning models often struggle to capture local concerns related to mobility, sanitation, public amenities and environmental resilience.
Officials involved in the process say the initiative is designed to strengthen dialogue between the civic administration and residents. The collected suggestions will be reviewed by municipal departments while drafting the final budget proposals, allowing planners to identify neighbourhood-level challenges that may otherwise remain underrepresented. Participatory budgeting has gradually emerged as an important tool in urban policy across the world. In cities facing complex growth pressures, public input can help authorities better understand how infrastructure investments affect everyday life. In Pune’s case, feedback from citizens could highlight issues such as water distribution reliability, road safety, public transport access and the need for more inclusive public spaces.
Urban planners note that engaging residents in budgeting decisions can also improve transparency and accountability in municipal governance. When citizens are aware of how civic funds are allocated, it often encourages stronger community involvement in monitoring project implementation and service delivery.
For a city like Pune, which continues to attract new residents due to its technology sector and educational institutions, public engagement is becoming increasingly important. Rapid expansion has placed pressure on roads, water systems, green spaces and waste management networks, making it crucial for civic authorities to identify priorities across different neighbourhoods. The My Pune My Budget platform allows residents to submit ideas digitally rather than through traditional public meetings, widening participation among younger and tech-savvy populations. However, urban policy researchers caution that digital platforms must also be complemented by offline engagement to ensure inclusivity for residents who may have limited internet access.
Municipal administrators say the feedback collected through the programme will inform discussions as departments prepare spending plans for the next financial year. The exercise is expected to highlight both infrastructure gaps and opportunities for improving public services. As cities increasingly focus on climate resilience, sustainable mobility and equitable access to civic amenities, citizen-led feedback mechanisms such as My Pune My Budget could play a significant role in shaping how urban resources are prioritised in the years ahead.
Pune Civic Budget Consultation Opens For Residents
