Days after Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao announced the government’s intentions to create some 20 new municipalities in the State, the Municipal Administration department has started the exercise of identification of major gram panchayats that can be converted into urban local bodies (ULBs)/municipalities.
The department is working out modalities like urban character, population and other aspects of some large gram panchayats that can be converted into ULBs/municipalities. In addition, it is also working out modalities for amalgamation of certain villages/panchayats in the close vicinity of major cities like Warangal into the respective municipal corporation. Proposal for converting major gram panchayats with more than 15,000 or 20,000 population into ULBs is being examined. “Certain large villages are fit for declaration as nagar panchayats/urban local bodies. We are looking at such villages which have developed some urban character,” a senior official of the department told The Hindu .
The department is accordingly examining the population norms in vogue for conversion of a major gram panchayat into urban local body. “Whether the existing rules permit declaring a gram panchayat beyond a particular population as urban local body or whether we have to device new norms is being examined,” the official said.
The department has, however, decided to take its time for finalisation of the modalities as the term of the elected bodies of these gram panchayats is expected to expire in the middle of next year.
It would allow the elected local bodies to function till the expiry of their terms. “We will be completing all the formalities and be ready for notifying new urban local bodies/municipalities by the time the tenure of these elected bodies comes to a close,” the official said.
