Up-gradation of Municipal Committees

04/07/2020

In order to strengthen the Urban Local Bodies, the Administrative Council headed by Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu had accorded approval for the up-gradation of 13 Municipal Committees as Municipal Councils including seven in Kashmir valley and six in Jammu region. The criteria of more than 30,000 population was taken into account on the basis of 2011 Census to order up-gradation of Municipal Committees as Municipal Councils. The Municipal Committees which were identified for up-gradation included Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Ganderbal, Budgam, Bandipora and Kupwara in Kashmir division and Reasi, Doda, Samba, Kishtwar, Ramban and Rajouri in Jammu division. Despite lapse of five months, the Housing and Urban Development Department has failed to issue formal order regarding up-gradation of 13 Municipal Committees of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as a result of which the much-hyped decision of the Administrative Council has remained unimplemented.
However, despite lapse of five months no formal order regarding up-gradation of these 13 Municipal Committees has been issued by the Housing and Urban Development Department and the delay is notwithstanding the fact that formalities including inviting of objections from the people have already been completed as desired by the Department of Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. At present there are only six Municipal Councils in Jammu and Kashmir including three each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions namely Kathua, Udhampur, Poonch, Anantnag, Baramulla and Sopore. Because of delay in issuance of formal order regarding up-gradation of 13 Municipal Committees these Urban Local Bodies have remained deprived of enhanced funding which they were supposed to get after their conversion into Municipal Councils. This decision was taken to help the Municipal Councils in effective handling of conceptualization and planning of development activities along with timely execution besides enabling the Councils to perform emerging roles viz., social development, social justice and urban poverty alleviation. What is the hurdle in issuing formal orders for up-gradation of Municipal Committees? Government of J&K UT should come up with a mechanism to ensure timely action on the decisions of the Administrative Council otherwise it gives an impression to the general public that there is no change in the functioning of the administration even under new mechanism of governance.

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