A day after the interaction with the newly elected mayors, State Finance Commission Chairman G.Rajesham Goud and Member M.Chennaiah invited newly elected chairpersons of municipalities in the State to discuss issues relating to the administrative and financial devolution to the urban local bodies here on Thursday.
Some chairpersons emphasised the need to delegate the powers on 18 subjects enshrined under 74th Amendment of the Constitution for better political and administrative control over the line departments like public health, power, water supply and welfare, among others.
They also requested for start up grants to the new municipalities and increase of per capita grant, timely release of the assigned revenue for efficient development activity.
Mr. Rajesham Goud explained to the municipal chairpersons the role of State Finance Commission in recommending the percentage of funds to be released to the local bodies from the net revenue of the State and measures for financial strengthening the local bodies. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was keen on strengthening the local bodies and to take administration to the doorstep of common man and hence the reorganisation of zilla parishads, mandal parishads, gram panchayats and urban local bodies was taken up by the government.
He said he would make appropriate recommendations to the State government on all the issues and concerns raised by the delegates and he suggested them to send their representations on the administrative and financial devolution to be incorporated in the report.
The meeting was held at the Institute of Engineers (India), Visvesvaraya Bhavan . Chairman of the Institute Rameshwar Rao and assistant director in the office of the Commissioner and Director Municipal Administration Pankaja were present.