HYDERABAD: The grandiose plan of the state government to reorganise Greater Hyderabad into 50 circles and 10 zones is unlikely to materialise.The cabinet was to discuss and approve the proposal last week but it did not come up for discussion at the meeting. Reason: The Majilis Ittehadul Musilimeen (MIM) did not favour the plan as it thought the action would create more problems than addressing the issues.
MIM leaders told Express that reorganisation of circles and zones would not serve much purpose. Instead, the existing 30 circles and six zones should be made fully functional, they said and alleged that some circles did not have offices nor adequate staff for carrying out day-to-day administrative work. ‘Let them first make the existing circles and zones fully functional, allot the required staff and infrastructure for their smooth functioning.
Without creating infrastructure and providing adequate staff for the existing circles, creating more circles and zones is not proper’’ senior MIM leaders said. Moreover, there is no budgetary or staff allocation to the circles or zones. Creation of 20 more circles and five more zones will only compound the problem. As per a rough estimate, 1,200 to 1,500 additional posts of officers and employees need to be created if the reorganisation takes place, and the exercise will need an additional expenditure of over Rs 100 crore.
Minister KT Rama Rao proposed in June that the city have 150 wards or divisions, and one circle for three wards and one zone for five circles to deliver efficient and transparent services to the citizens. The Prasada Rao Committee had suggested in the past that the number of circles needed to be increased from 18 to 30 to provide a decentralised set-up and to improve urban governance and service delivery.