Local body elections soon in Andhra Pradesh: Minister for Municipal Administration B Satyanarayana

By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: The Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Botsa Satyanarayana said the elections for municipalities, corporations and Nagar panchayats will be conducted at the earliest, as tenures of nine municipal corporations and 90 municipalities and panchayats came to an end on Tuesday. 

Speaking at a workshop organised for municipal commissioners at a private hotel here on Tuesday, the minister observed that there were a few issues with reserved seats, merged villages and others.  He added that these problems would be resolved amicably as per the direction is given by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and that special officer rule would be in place in 99 urban local bodies (ULBs) until the election process ends.

While the respective Collectors or Joint Collectors would don the hat of Special Officers in municipal corporations, Joint Collector/sub-collector/special deputy collector cadre officials will be the authority in municipalities.

Further addressing the Commissioners, the minister told them to focus on the implementation of Navaratnas, besides resolving local issues effectively. He warned that stringent action would be taken against those who fail to discharge their duties effectively and transparently. He directed the officials concerned to draft an action plan for streamlining the administration in the departments and evolve transparency in governance. 

Stressing upon the role of municipal commissioners in development of the cities, the Minister called upon the employees of engineering, public health and town planning departments to extend their support and coordinate with their respective commissioners to address the grievances of the public, especially the drinking water issue, in a stipulated time period. 

Commenting on the transfers of the municipal commissioners and staff, Satyanarayana maintained that transfers will be made as per the norms and there was no partiality involved in the matter. “The transfers are inevitable and the second phase of transfers for municipal commissioners will be done in the next few days,” he said. 

In this regard, the Minister called upon the officials who were transferred to extend their support by joining in their respective positions without any opposition.

During the day-long workshop, Satyanarayana also discussed the methods for improving sanitation, drinking water supply, taxation, identifying the revenue sources, grievances, Building Penalisation Scheme (BPS), tapping the advanced technologies and to streamline the administration.

Special officers appointed for 99 ULBs

VIJAYAWADA: With the term of elected bodies in 99 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) coming to an end on Tuesday, the State government appointed special officers to take over the administration of the civic bodies. The special officer rule would be in place for a period of six months with effect from Wednesday or till such time as elected civic bodies are in place.

As per government order  (MS 204) issued by Municipal Administration and Urban Development Secretary J Syamala Rao, the elections in the said ULBs could not be held as pre-election activity had not begun in a few areas. 

For Vijayawada (Krishna), Eluru (West Godavari), Rajamahendravaram (East Godavari), Vizianagaram (Vizianagaram), Nellore, Anantapur and Kadapa municipal corporations, the respective Collectors will be special officers. In case of Machilipatnam (Krishna) and Chittoor (Chittoor) municipal corporation, respective Joint Collectors will be the special officers.

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