The Hindu 07.02.2014
Directive to consider upgrade of municipalities
The government has instructed the Director of Urban
Affairs to give his recommendations on upgrading the current grading of
municipalities, considering the fact that most of the municipalities
have expanded their area of jurisdiction, diverse tasks and powers under
the Municipalities Act.
Replying to a submission on
the issue by Benny Behanan, MLA, Minister for Urban Affairs
Manjalamkuzhi Ali said the grades of municipalities had not been revised
after 1999, even though most of the municipalities had annexed many
adjoining panchayats and expanded their area of jurisdiction.
The revenue and population of many of the municipalities had also gone up several fold.
As
per the current grading, those with an annual income above Rs.70 lakh
are given grade 1, those with revenue between Rs.40 and Rs.70 lakh are
grade ,2 and the rest are classified as grade 3.
The
government has asked the Director of Urban Affairs to study the annual
income and population increase during 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 and
to come up with recommendations on how the grades of municipalities can
be revised, with proportionate increase in the number of employees.
The revision of grades of municipalities will be taken up after studying the recommendations, said Mr. Ali.
In
another submission by CPI(M) leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on the urgent
need for a bypass connecting Thalassery and Mahe, Minister for Public
Works K.V. Ibrahim Kunju said the State government had written to the
Centre that it may be allowed to take up the Thalassery-Mahe bypass as a
stand-alone project.
