New Municipal Act to clip wings of Commissioners

Hyderabad: When the new Municipal Act comes into force by this month end, municipal commissioners, who head the urban local bodies (ULBs) in Telangana will no longer enjoy the 'arbitrary' powers accorded to them in the current decades-old law.

The existing Urban Act has given enough powers to the commissioners to sanction works, release funds and take up new developmental works at their own discretion. Though the authority took the decisions in consultation with the elected municipal bodies, there is no higher authority to question the Municipal Commissioner's orders.

As a result, the commissioners are alleged to be indulging in numerous discrepancies in the finalisation of developmental works, misuse of funds and political favouritism in awarding contract works. Cases were registered against some commissioners. Sensing increasing misappropriation of funds, the government has given special powers to Collectors to take up important works in some identified municipalities when Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao was in office between 2014 and 2018. Many of the major works in urban local bodies were taken up under the supervision of Collectors and the minister monitored the progress directly.

The government got desirable results after the role of municipal authorities was minimised.

Taking this as a cue, officials said that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has proposed to clip the powers of the municipal officials and delegate powers to the Collectors in the new Municipal Act. Several measures to plug the loopholes in the municipal administration will be taken in the new Act.

Sources said that the new law will also empower Collectors to act against the errant municipal officials in case any wrong doings were noticed in the execution of works in the urban bodies.

The new Act will also streamline tax collections. Unlike in the past, the commissioners will have to furnish the details of tax collections mainly property tax and water bills to the government from time to time and utilise the money collected through taxes with the consent of the higher authorities. The municipal authorities will be accountable for every rupee they spend.

The Act will also empower the elected bodies which will be made responsible for the implementation of flagship programmes mainly Haritha Haram and piped drinking water supply to every household in all urban bodies.

Officials said that the constitution of an Appellate Tribunal headed by Collector and a Judge in every district is also under consideration. The tribunal will take disciplinary action against the members of the elected body who indulged in corrupt practices.