PUNE: The city unit of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has objected to the Smart Cities Mission saying that the corporation has not involved citizens in the planning process while alleging that the Centre was encroaching on the rights of civic bodies.

MNS leaders on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar to register their objections. "City planning and land use are responsibilities of the municipal corporation as per the Indian Constitution. Also, planning for development is part of the civic body's responsibility. However, in Smart Cities Mission, municipal corporations are functioning as implementing body and the Centre is imposing its planning. This is unconstitutional," MNS state general secretary Anil Shidore said. MNS leaders added that the Centre has not taken any permission from the civic bodies or the state government to implement schemes which fall in purview of corporations.

MNS leaders further alleged that the PMC has published Smart Cities Mission-related publicity material in English language and that the civic body's websites are in English. "How can common people participate in the scheme when they are not even aware of what is going on. The PMC should have published its material in Marathi so that common citizens were able to register their opinions and participate in the scheme" stated the MNS letter.