Bhimale said the civic administration has been directed to execute the decision from this financial year onwards.In order to ensure that the benefits of women and child welfare schemes implemented by the Pune Municipal Corporation’s Social Development Department reach more women that require it, PMC’s standing committee Thursday approved a proposal to increase the annual income limit for beneficiaries from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh.Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram had sent a proposal to the standing committee for approval. Committee chairperson Shrinath Bhimale said a resolution to increase the limit for beneficiaries seeking services for various skill development, self-employment, financial assistance and training schemes for women’s self-help groups implemented by the Social Development Department was approved.Currently, the annual income of a family must mandatorily be under Rs 1 lakh to avail these schemes.However, the committee stated that since this limit is equivalent to an income of about Rs 8,333 per month for a family of four, in reality many eligible families are deprived of the benefits of the schemes.The Commissioner had cited various schemes of the state government and mentioned that the maximum annual income limit for the beneficiary family in the Foreign Education Scholarship Scheme of the Tribal Development Department and the Scholarship Scheme of the Minority Development Department has been fixed at Rs 2.5 lakh.In addition, as per the minimum wage fixed by the Labour Welfare Department, an unskilled worker gets an honorarium of about Rs 20,985 per month. Accordingly, the annual income of such a worker is about Rs 2,51,820. Therefore, the administration has clarified that the income limit of Rs 1 lakh for the schemes of the Municipal Corporation is not in line with the reality in the current economic situation.Bhimale said the civic administration has been directed to execute the decision from this financial year onwards.Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories