Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao has said that the State government is for strengthening the institution of District Collector to streamline the administration.
In an interactive session during the Collectors’ Conference at Pragathi Bhavan here on Tuesday, Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao heard the views of senior officials and collectors on ‘Palle Pragathi’, ‘Pattana Praghathi’ and ‘Haritha Haaram’ programmes. Under Pattana Pragathi, a ward should be considered a unit, he said.
He also gave clarity on government’s stand on new Municipal Act and Panchayat Raj Act. He said the government had increased the responsibility of collectors in the administration of villages, towns and cities.
Emphasising that collectors should correct the lacunae in land revenue records, he said land related records should be perfect and added that reforms were definitely required for this. In 95% of lands, there was no dispute but remaining should be resolved.
Utilisation certificates
The submission of utilisation certificates for the funds sanctioned under Central schemes should be regular, he told the collectors.
The newly appointed additional collectors to assist the collectors should discharge the responsibilities entrusted to them efficiently. Those who monitor local bodies should have all the data ready in their computers. They should determine the charged amount in villages and towns for the mandatory expenditure on salaries, payment of power and other bills, debt servicing. A two-day training should be conducted for additional collectors on development of villages and towns, he said.
Encroachments
Chief Minister suggested measures to be taken in cities for public convenience, particularly for women and instructed construction of public toilets in all cities on government lands and provision of markets for vegetables and meat and poultry. He, however, cautioned that roadside petty vendors, small shop keepers on foot-paths should not be evicted without showing them an alternative place.
He also wanted focus on restoration of forests, development of urban parks and setting up monkey food courts for which adequate budgetary allocation would be made. Government was serious in resolving land disputes between Forest and Revenue departments and issue of Podu lands.
Pattana Pragathi
Chief Minister asked the district collectors to create awareness on the measures to be taken as part of the Pattana Pragathi programme and organise district-level municipal conference by inviting mayors, deputy mayors, chairpersons, corporators, councillors and commissioners. All the stakeholders should be given training, he said.
Ward-level committees should be appointed prior to taking up the implementation of Pattana Pragathi programme, the Chief Minister said. He gave some broad directions to the collectors on development of urban areas.
The Chief Minister wanted cent per cent collection of taxes in urban areas and an extensive campaign about the rules and regulations under the new Municipal Act.
The collectors were given the power to take up works up to ₹5 lakh in the towns.
Land for civic needs
The administration was asked to identify government lands in the cities and towns and utilise them for parking and other civic needs, develop two km walking tracks in parks in all cities and towns.The officials were directed to raise nurseries even in towns.
The officials were asked to take steps to curb pig menace for prevention of encephalitis and other epidemics and for that the pig-rearers must be shown alternative livelihood.
In-charge officer
An officer should be appointed for every ward as in charge for the Pattana Pragathi programme and he or she would have to monitor the progress in the designated ward.
The collectors were directed to give Pattas to those living in huts on the hills and hillocks.
Urging the officials to focus on safety the Chief Minister told them to take steps to remove the power lines hanging on the houses.
Ministers K. T. Rama Rao, Srinivas Goud and Srinivas Yadav made several suggestions on strategies to be implemented during Pattana Pragathi programme.