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The Maharashtra government's latest move involves the allocation of an extensive 8,000-square-foot office space for the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (Mitra), a state think tank, situated within a prominent Nariman Point high-rise. This arrangement entails a monthly rental cost of Rs 21 lakh, equivalent to an annual expenditure of roughly Rs 2.5 crore. Established in the year 2022, Mitra operates as a think tank akin to the Niti Aayog, focusing on the in-depth analysis of comprehensive data to facilitate informed decision-making across a spectrum of sectors.
Initially, the government had provided Mitra with a relatively modest 1,200-square-foot space located within the state-owned New Administrative Building. However, Mitra's leadership expressed reservations about the limited space, prompting them to request more expansive accommodations. Notably, the chairman of Mitra is CM Shinde, while Ajay Ashar, a developer hailing from Thane and a close associate of CM Shinde, serves as the vice chairperson. The planning department has released a government resolution (GR) that illuminates this development. It explicitly states that the initial allocation, encompassing a 1,200-square-foot area on the 18th floor of the New Administrative Building, swiftly proved to be insufficient for Mitra's operational needs.
Responding to the CEO's earnest request for more extensive facilities, the government granted approval for the lease of a significantly more spacious area, totalling 7,920 square feet, situated on the 5th floor of Nirmal Bhawan in Mumbai's esteemed Nariman Point district. This leasing agreement is established with ECGC Limited, an entity operating as a centre-owned export credit agency under the purview of the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The Public Works Department (PWD) verified that a monthly rental fee of Rs 21,38,400 was reasonable for this prestigious location, including a 5% annual increment provision. Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis highlighted the state's mounting debt burden, which reached a staggering Rs 6.8 lakh crore in this year's budget presentation, contextualizing this strategic decision.
In a related development, the BMC has recently garnered attention for its allocation of a contentious hydraulic engineer's bungalow in the Malabar Hill area to Praveen Pardeshi, a retired IAS officer who currently serves as the CEO of Mitra. Pardeshi's transfer from the position of municipal commissioner during the initial wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in May 2020 marked a significant transition in his career trajectory. Additionally, Pardeshi is currently at the helm of the Capacity Building Commission, an entity that operates under the aegis of the Prime Minister's Office. The assignment of the bungalow, which is situated in proximity to the iconic Hanging Gardens, has been mired in controversy due to its historical allocation to ministers and IAS officers who are not directly associated with the BMC.
Notably, in 2020, the MVA government allocated the bungalow to Aslam Shaikh, who held the position of the city's guardian minister at the time. This decision, in turn, resulted in the relocation of IAS officer Pravin Darade, who had resided in the bungalow for a duration spanning five years. As the state navigates financial complexities and strives for more effective governance, Mitra's role as a strategic think tank gains increasing prominence.
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