Phenomenal growth of ULBs in Telangana

Hyderabad: Telangana’s Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) have experienced remarkable progress over the past nine years, due to unique policy decisions and the implementation of the new Municipal Administration Act. These initiatives have led to a significant transformation in service delivery at the grassroots level, particularly benefiting the underprivileged.

The State government’s efforts to strengthen urban governance began with the increase in the number of ULBs from 68 to 142, including the expansion of Municipal Corporations from 6 to 13. This expansion laid the foundation for a more robust urban administration. Further, the introduction of the Telangana Municipalities Act, 2019, emphasised the adoption of e-governance systems to provide citizen services on an anytime, anywhere basis, ensuring a more efficient, accountable, and transparent administration.

The department has successfully implemented key e-initiatives to enhance citizen convenience. The introduction of self-assessment for property tax in 2019 allowed citizens to assess their taxes independently, benefiting 1,78,536 property owners as of April 2023. Additionally, the auto-mutation of properties introduced in 2021 facilitated instant mutation for 5,60,471 properties by April 2023.

The State government also streamlined the financial empowerment of Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Street Vendors. A total of 1,71,968 SHGs with 17,41,218 urban poor women were formed across all ULBs, ensuring sustainable financial services through bank linkages and promoting diverse livelihoods. Between 2014 and 2022, Rs. 14,453.48 crores were linked to 1.33 lakh women SHGs with 13.86 lakh members, contributing to their economic empowerment.

A dedicated mobile app called “Pattana Pragathi - Survey of Street Vendors” was developed to identify and support street vendors. The survey revealed a significant increase of 645.83 percent, identifying 5,40,344 street vendors in addition to the existing 83,666 during Pattana Pragathi, resulting in a total of 6,24,010 street vendors in the State. The government provided loans worth Rs. 700.61 crores to 3,57,270 street vendors in the first, second, and third tranches since the formation of Telangana. Additionally, 2,676 street vending sheds were sanctioned, with 1,294 sheds already constructed and 1,382 under progress.

The State’s commendable efforts were recognised through various awards and accolades. In the Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge 2021, Telangana was awarded the second-best performing State, and Karimnagar emerged as the second-best performing ULB in the 1-3 lakh population category, receiving a cash award of Rs 4 crores. Telangana State Urban Local Bodies also secured the top position nationwide in providing loans to street vendors in the less than 1 Lakh and 1 to 10 lakh population categories during the first, second, and third tranches.