Expediting the work on the development of a new capital, the Andhra Pradesh Government on Wednesday suspended powers granted to gram panchayats under the jurisdiction of the Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali and Mangalagiri urban development area.
The powers vested in the local gram panchayats relating to control on development, and use of land and buildings had been suspended to the extent of Gram Khantam areas of panchayats falling under VGTM Urban Development Area (VGTM-UDA), Municipal Administration department principal secretary D. Sambasiva Rao said in the order (GO Ms 201).
Accordingly, the powers delegated under Section 56 of the AP Urban Areas (Development) Act, 1975 had been restored back to the VGTM-UDA. The Government, the order said, had decided to restore powers delegated to the Gram Panchayats in order to safeguard the requirements of the proposed new capital city.