Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday told the Assembly that the new Telan-gana Municipalities Bill 2019 is aimed at driving growth of Urban Local Bodies in the state.
Speaking on the first day of a two-day special Assembly session on Thursday, the Chief Minister said certain “anti-development” forces had tried to stall the Bill which the government had introduced to ensure transparent and corruption-free governance.
Mr Rao said the new Municipal Act will upgrade seven municipalities to municipal corporations.
There are six municipal corporations in the state currently. The number of municipalities will also go up to 142.
While explaining the salient features of the new Bill, the chief minister said, “We have submitted to the court that since the constitution of new corporations and municipalities are being done by enacting a law, the court will have limited power to intervene; and the court has agreed with our viewpoint.”
“All of us know about alleged illegal layouts in towns and cities created by the land mafia. To curb the land mafia, stringent provisions are incorporated in the Bill,” he explained.
He said that it has been decided to hold elections within the statutory period and the number of wards in the Urban Local Bodies in the state was notified through the Ordinance and this new law will replace the Ordinance.
He said that he will explain in detail the objects and aims of the Bill on Friday as the entire day will be devoted to a discussion on the new Act.
Akbaruddin Owaisi, floor leader of Majlis-e-Ittihadul Muslimeen (MIM), noted that the development activities of the state are reeling under the Model Code of Conduct, which was in force for the past seven months due to frequent elections.
He pointed out that ULBs have been facing financial crisis and there has been no recruitment for the past several years, and the government must ensure more funds for the ULBs and Gram Panchayats.
He pointed out that the road widening work started in 1970 in the old city of Hyderabad still continues and proceeds at a snail’s pace because of lack of finance.
The Chief Minister, responding to Mr Owaisi, announced that the state government has decided to release the grant to the local bodies on par with the grants from the 14th Finance Commission.
He explained that the 14th Finance Commission has given Rs 1,037 crore as grant and the same amount will be released by the state government, and local bodies will get Rs 2,074 crore.
Supporting the Bill, BJP MLA Raja Singh asked for one day’s discussion on the Bill.
