The Hindu 14.11.2009
Urban development draft policy for direct election of Mayor
Special Correspondent
| Draft focuses on infrastructure development in small and medium cities |
December 15 is last date for considering objection Draft envisages setting up of urban poverty alleviation authorities
BANGALORE: The long-awaited Urban Development Draft Policy-2009, the first by the State Department of Urban Development was released by Minister for Urban Development and Law S. Suresh Kumar here on Friday.
Mr. Kumar and Adviser to the Chief Minister on Urban Affairs A. Ravindra, who explained the salient features of the draft policy to the presspersons sought suggestions and objections to it by experts, NGOs and the general public. The Minister said that December 15 would be the last date for considering the objections. Mr. Ravindra headed the committee to prepare the draft. It envisages creating an urban arts/heritage commission for both Bangalore and Mysore and another for the whole State.
Prominent features
Setting up of a State urbanisation commission, replacing the State Town Planning Board, metropolitan planning committee for Bangalore, Hubli-Dharwad and Mysore, reorganising urban local body structure and introducing new mayoral system (directly elected mayor or mayor-in-council), abolishing urban development authorities, vesting planning powers in urban local bodies are some of the prominent features of the draft.
The draft envisaged launching a Karnataka urban renewal mission to focus on infrastructure development in small and medium cities, a la JNNURM, amending the Land Acquisition Act, Karnataka Land Revenue and Karnataka Land Reforms Acts simplifying procedures for acquisition and purchase of land and setting up Karnataka Urban and Regional Planning Act replacing Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act.
He said that the draft envisaged setting up an urban poverty alleviation authority/cell in the ULBs by revising the Karnataka Slum Clearance Board Act and restructuring para-statal organisations .
He said it thought of setting up an urban services regulatory authority by clarifying policy on cost recovery and subsidy (water, sewerage and transport), constituting ward committees in class I cities by direct election and neighbourhood committees in all municipal areas and devolving functions to ULBs as per the 12th schedule to the Constitution.
