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.
