Strategic Action Plan - International Environmental Technology Centre

3.7.4 Financial Constraints
In general, solid waste management is given a very low priority when it comes to provision of financial
resources. As a result, very limited funds are provided to the solid waste management sector and hence
the levels of services required for protection of public health and the environment are not attained. Out
of the total PMC budget from 2003-06, an average of only 15 % was spent on SWM.
The local taxation system is inadequately developed and, therefore, the financial basis for public services,
including solid waste management, is weak. This weak financial basis can be supplemented by the
collection of user service charges. However, users' ability to pay for the services is very limited and their
willingness to pay for the services which are irregular and ineffective is not high either.
In addition to the limited funds, there is a lack good financial management and planning. For example in
PMC, the financial outlays are divided between the Health and Transport departments; which due to
either the lack in communication; have a weak management and planning for SWM.
Indeed, PPP models are potential options to bridge the gap in financial resources. But these options will
need careful examination considering contractual as well as institutional difficult.
3.8 Conceptualizing the Strategic Action Plan (SAP)
The Situation Analysis of Pune presented in the preceding paragraphs has been taken as a starting point
for developing the Strategic Action Plan. This Analysis was an assessment of the overall scenario in Pune,
in terms of the external solid waste status and the internal capacity of PMC and other allied institutions.
The external opportunities and threats, and the internal weaknesses and strengths require thorough
analysis, as the first step towards Action Planning.
This mapping of the external environmental pressures with the internal capacity of PMC as an
organization was essentially to identify existing gaps, which could act as a hindrance towards effective
implementation of a SAP. The capacity building measures have been identified to ensure that a realistic
Action Plan emerges that can be implemented by PMC. On the basis of the findings of the Situational
Analysis, the following Chapters unfold the steps followed to develop the Strategic Action Plan for Solid
Waste Management in Pune city.
Strategic Action Planning for Pune 76