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Govt begins to upgrade ULBs

Move to pave way for towns to get more grants
Last Updated 29 September 2014, 19:44 IST

The urban development department has started the process of upgrading 28 Urban Local Bodies (ULB), a move that will pave the way for towns to get more grants and larger elected bodies.

The department has already issued the draft notification for upgrading 14 Town Municipal Councils (TMCs) to City Municipal Councils (CMCs). The notification pertaining to upgrading of another 14 Town Panchayats (TPs) to TMCs will be issued soon.

ULBs are classified based on population and their population density. The present move of upgrading the ULBs is as per the 2011 census data, officials in the urban development department said.

The process of upgrading is taken up every decade and this is by far the largest such exercise till date, for, never have so many towns became eligible for obtaining a higher municipal status, the officials pointed out.

TMCs which have population of over 50,000 but less than three lakh as per the 2011 census will be upgraded as CMCs and TPs with population of more than 20,000 but less than 50,000 will be upgraded as TMCs.

Upgraded TMCs

The 14 TMCs which will be upgraded are Arasikere, Challakere, Hiriyur, Kanakapura, Mudhol, Mulbagal, Nanjangud, Shahapur, Siruguppa, Ullal, Shorapur, Hosakote, Siddlaghatta and Puttur.

The 14 TPs to be upgraded as TMCs are: Kudachi, Sadalaga, Hukkeri, Mudhol, Channageri, Pandavapura, Afzalpur, Chincholi, Jewargi, Hunagunda, T Narasipuara, Ankola, Nagamangala and Gurmitkal. The urban development department has already upgraded three CMCs - Tumkur, Shimoga and Bijapur - into city corporations based on the 2011 census. 

An advantage of having a higher municipal status is more devolution of funds as per the recommendation of the state finance commission. Devolution of funds is directly linked to the population, population density, road length in the town among others, the officials said.

While the upgraded towns will get higher financial aid soon after the final notification is gazetted, they will have to wait for the next elections for getting larger elected bodies. Elections to a majority of ULBs in the State were last held in March 2013.  

Number of wards

As per the Karnataka Municipalities Act 1964, CMCs can have a maximum of 35 wards, TMCs a maximum of 27 wards and TPs maximum of 20 wards.

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(Published 29 September 2014, 19:44 IST)

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