MC gets more teeth

The UT Administration on Friday issued a notification for the transfer of departments to the Municipal Corporation. Various functions including maintenance of all green belts and gardens that were earlier not under the purview of the civic body, open spaces, V-3 roads etc will now be the direct responsibility of the municipal corporation.

The civic body had been demanding the transfer of functions under the 74th amendment of the Constitution. The process for transfer of departments was initiated a few months ago. Departments such as primary health centres and primary education have also been transferred.

The Municipal Corporation would be able to make use of the staff of the Administration till March 2011. After this the civic body would have to recruit its own staff. The funds allocated to these departments would also be provided to the civic body.

The process for transfer of departments had been initiated after UT Administrator Shivraj Patil in his first meeting with the councillors assured them that the civic body would be given more powers. The councillors opine that the Patil being an elected representative who has held various posts is aware of the problems that the elected representatives face and is open to the idea of additional powers for the civic body.