: The local bodies, which are entrusted with the execution of essential public responsibilities, have been found to be working inefficiently, chairman of the fifth State
Finance Commission B.A. Prakash said.
Quite a few local bodies in the State have been wanting in discharge of essential services such as drinking water supply, waste management, controlling epidemic outbreak, setting up of modern crematorium, parking and bus waiting shelter facilities, and regulation of slaughterhouses, Prof. Prakash told a press conference here on Thursday.
They were found to be lagging behind in collection of taxes under various heads. There have been complaints that some governing bodies had even failed to utilise the annual Plan fund for various projects. Many local bodies think of making hasty fund utilization in the final days of the financial year, said Prof. Prakash, who earlier had chaired a sitting here.
Despite enacting legislation for decentralised rule, the shortcomings by the local bodies are a matter of grave concern, he said.
The sitting held at the Collectorate here sought empowering local bodies to enhance other sources of revenue. The government decision to withdraw the hiked building tax has adversely affected the income generation capacity of the local bodies, the meeting was told.
The sitting was attended, among others, by Additional Finance Secretary T.K Soman and Under-Secretary B. Pradeep Kumar.
Local bodies lagging behind in tax collection
‘Essential services neglected’
