Telangana: Facelift for panchayats, municipal bodies likely

Hyderabad: All panchayats and municipal bodies in the state are likely to get a facelift soon after the proposed meeting to discuss challenges in improving the amenities and simplify governance in urban and rural local bodies scheduled to be held on May 18. All the ministers, district authorities including Collectors will participate in the meeting to be held at Pragati Bhavan. The meeting will review the implementation of new Panchayat Raj and Municipal Acts and the progress in improving civic amenities under Palle Pragati and Pattana Pragati. The measures to be taken to improve the amenities under Palle Pragathi and Pattana Pragathi would also be discussed and an action plan will be finalised.

Telangana has recently won 10 out of 10 awards under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana or model villages of Parliament announced by the Union government. The urban local bodies also won awards in the improvement of civic amenities in Telangana, officials said, adding that the Chief Minister was happy for receiving many awards by the local bodies.

The government would finalise district-wise action plan to develop model villages and municipalities in each category, mainly road network, drinking water supply, solid waste management, protection of water bodies, creation of new urban infrastructure mainly recreation centres and beautification of the local bodies.

Sources said that the goals achieved in Palle Pragathi and Pattana Pragathi programmes conducted in the previous years will be analysed and set new targets in the next phase programme to be launched in June this year.

"The issue of corruption free services to the people at their doorsteps and collection of property taxes, water bills and new layouts coming up in the urban local bodies and its contribution to the economic development of the local body will also be discussed in detail. The performance of the panchayat raj and municipal authorities would also be reviewed. The District Collectors have been asked to submit a report on the local body development in the meeting. Several key decisions regarding the delegation of extraordinary powers to the authorities will be taken by the Chief Minister in the meeting, sources said.