KCR moots new urban policy for Telangana

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday instructed officials to formulate a new urban policy, giving no scope for corruption, to ensure that services are extended to people with transparency.

Along with this, a new rural policy and revenue policy should also to be formulated, he said.

As part of the new urban policy, a new Municipal Act, new Corporations' Act and new Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act should also be brought in, a release from the CM's office quoted him as having said.

He proposed a new Act for the Hyderabad Metro Development Authority and other Urban Development Authorities as well.

Rao, who held a high-level review meeting on the new urban policy here, asked officials to come out with draft proposals on these Acts in the next couple of days.

He said a brief legislative assembly session would be convened to discuss and pass these new Acts. Rao said officials and elected representatives would be vested with the responsibility to ensure that governance would be in tune with the Acts, which would incorporate stringent punishments for dereliction of the duty.

He said necessary guidelines would be incorporated in the Acts to make collectors take active responsibility to settle matters within the municipalities and corporations.

"We have enacted a new Panchayat Raj Act. Similarly, we have to enact new Revenue and Municipal Acts. The governance should be on the fast track without any corruption and in a very transparent manner," he said.

KCR said it was decided to hold Panchayat Raj conclaves state-wide to create awareness on the new Panchayat Raj Act and steps taken by the government for development of villages.

He said it is decided to spend Rs 7,000 crore annually and Rs 35,000 crore in five years for the development of villages. After these conclaves, 100 flying squads would be formed for surprise inspections of villages and action would be taken against those misusing funds, he said.