Hyderabad: More freedom & funds to lift rural districts

Hyderabad: Like counties in the USA, all rural districts in Telangana will be more independent and financially self-sustainable once the Government implements new administrative system. Under this system, the district authorities will have full freedom to take measures for comprehensive development of the districts.

The late Sunday night decision of the Government to abolish the posts of joint collectors and instead have two additional collectors was part of this exercise. These two additional collectors will be given specific responsibilities.

While one would be responsible for the functioning of local bodies, including gram panchayats, municipalities and municipal corporations, the other additional collector will be asked to improve the financial status of the district through various measures which would include attracting new industries, streamlining the revenue system in the rural and urban bodies and land pooling for developmental activities.

"Except the urban districts of Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal and Sangareddy, the per capita income of the all remaining rural districts was around Rs 1 lakh.

The only solution to improve the per capita income and make the district self-sustainable is creation of financially viable assets. Hence the role of additional collectors assumes importance. They will be the catalysts to improve the financial position of the districts," revealed a senior official to The Hans India.

"Under the new district administrative system, the government will allocate funds on monthly basis to each local body for improving the infrastructure.

The allocations being made by the government and revenues generated locally will be used in a planned way to promote every district as a growth engine," he said.

The district authorities, he said, will monitor every developmental programme launched by the government in every village and urban local body.

All executive officers in the Panchayat Raj department and municipal commissioners will perform their duties under the control of additional collectors directly.

In the next step towards making a people-friendly governance in every district, a new Revenue Act will be introduced soon aiming to simplify the land ownership and address the long-pending land disputes.

Revenue tribunals will be opened in every district to dispose of all the pending disputes and facilitate the authorities to achieve the desired results.

The performance of all top district official would be ascertained every six months and take necessary measures, including transfer of the underperforming officials. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar will directly monitor the district administration and give necessary instructions to them.