The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Gram panchayats to be upgraded into municipalities

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Gram panchayats to be upgraded into municipalities

Special Correspondent

Officials told to identify gram panchayats with a population of 40,000

HYDERABAD: The Municipal Administration and Urban Department have been asked to identify gram panchayats with a population of 40,000 for upgradation into municipalities.

The suggestion came from Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy at the Collector’s conference on Saturday during a discussion on Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT).

When officials brought to his notice that funds to the tune of crores of rupees granted to the State under the JNNURM were not being utilised completely, Dr. Reddy wanted the MA&UD officials to study the feasibility of upgrading small towns and major gram panchayats into municipalities.

At present, there are 109 urban local bodies including seven municipal corporations, 109 municipalities and a nagara panchayat.

This is apart from 1,096, mandals, 21,943 gram panchayats and 22 Zilla Parishads.

The Chief Minister remarked that it would be better for the officials to prepare a list of towns and panchayats that fit into the upgradation criteria.

He instructed that a few nearby villages in the major panchayats could be merged to upgrade them into Grade III municipalities.

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