Day 1 for new Navi Mumbai civic chief: Cleanliness, edu, health care his top priorities

NAVI MUMBAI: Dr Kailas Shinde, an IAS officer of the 2013 batch, who took over as the new commissioner of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) on Thursday said that making the city the cleanest in India along with providing better education and healthcare will be his top priorities. Prior to this, Shinde was joint managing director of City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO).

The 54-year-old new NMMC chief succeeded Rajesh Narvekar, who was transferred following the election commissioner order due to the Lok Sabha elections, as Commissioner, Cooperatives and Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Pune.

Shinde held a meeting of the various heads of departments to understand the functioning of each department.

He asked for a plan to be drawn up for ward-wise review of works and field inspections. Speaking of his plans, Shinde said, “I shall be studying the expectations of the citizens of Navi Mumbai and the issues here and take them up. We shall try our best to give an efficient administration.”

Shinde stated, “NMMC has topped in the state and is second in ranking in the country in cleanliness under Swachh Survekshan. We shall look at ways and measures as to how we can take the city to the top position in the country.” He added, “Besides this, we shall strive to give quality education, health and civic services to the residents.”

Shinde stressed, “We are preparing the next generation to take over for which education is the key. Quality education will be our priority for which we shall make maximum investment. It is also important that this education is affordable to all and hence all measures for it will be taken.” Concluded the commissioner, “I certainly have an idea of the issues of the city as I have been working here. The local issues are important and we shall concentrate on them.”