Urban News

Earlier, Town Panchayats were upgraded into Town Municipalities only when the population exceeded 20,000. However, the government has changed the criteria and decided to upgrade all Town Panchayats located at taluk headquarters. If N R Pura was upgraded into Town Municipality, 6,367 population comprising 1,620 families in Hiluvalli, Indiranagar, Hale Cinemaraste, Suggappanamata, Housing Board Colony, Suragimata, Nagalapura, Janatha Colony, Yadadalu, Bastigadde, Menasuru, Bypass Road, Bagravani, Kamana Kodige, Malankar Church Road, Lingapur and BH Kaimara areas will be added to it. The annual sanction will be increased to Rs 3 crore from Rs 1 crore once it was upgraded.

Though infrastructure including underground drainage and roads will be developed after the upgradation, people are apprehensive about an increase in the revenue tariff.

All elected representatives will lose their power, when their respective gram panchayats were merged with the new municipality. Similarly, villagers will lose the opportunities to avail the benefits under the NREG Scheme. Meanwhile, sanctions from Centre will be increased considerably after the upgradation.

A proposal has already been sent to the government for the upgradation of Town Panchayat. The proposal will be published in the Karnataka Gazette and a decision will be taken by the government after verifying objections.

Town Panchayat President B S Ashish Kumar said that the town will be developed rapidly, if it was upgraded. Similarly, villages attached to the panchayat will also be developed, he added.