The Union Urban Development Ministry has asked 461 census towns in Kerala to be promoted as urban local bodies. However, the State officials are circumspect about it. These are among the 3,784 census towns across the country that the Ministry wants to be upgraded.
Rajiv Gauba, Secretary, Urban Development, in a letter to the Chief Secretaries of these States has highlighted the need for statutory urban local bodies for planned and coordinated infrastructure development, enhancement of revenues and efficient delivery of services to citizens leading to overall growth of economic activities.
He stressed that “the opportunity of planned urban development might get lost if unplanned construction and ad hoc provisioning of infrastructure is allowed to take place over a long time.”
Urban characteristics
A census town is an area with urban characteristics like a minimum population of 5,000, at least 75 per cent of the men are working force engaged in non-agricultural activities and population density of at least 400 persons per sq.km.
As per 2011 Census, there are 3,784 census towns fitting into that definition, as against the 1,362 in 2001. A statutory town is one with a municipality, Corporation, cantonment board or notified town area committee.
As per 2011 Census, there are 4,041 such towns as against the 3,799 in 2001.
Mr. Gauba in the statement told the States that conversion of census towns into statutory urban local bodies would entitle them to Central assistance as per the guidelines of 14th Finance Commission.
A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, Secretary, Local Self Government Department (Urban Affairs), told The Hindu that though the Union Ministry’s note was yet to reach here, the State government had already engaged in a major exercise in 2015 increasing the number municipalities and Corporations. Hence it would not be possible for the State to take up such an exercise again immediately, he said.
Parameters
The parameters of population of minimum of 5,000 is likely to benefit places in northern parts of the country more, but in Kerala, a minimum population of 25,000 could be a better benchmark to upgrade, he said. If the parameters prescribed by the Union Ministry were strictly followed, there may not be any panchayat left in the State, he added.
