HYDERABAD: Lanning to contest the upcoming civic polls? Better keep this in mind, then. Once elected, you can’t abuse anyone during the Council meetings; if you do, you possibly wouldn’t be allowed to contest the elections for the next six years!
This is one among the several stringent provisions put forth in the new Municipal Bill, that was moved by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in the Assembly on Thursday. The House is likely to adopt the same after a debate on Friday.
As per the Bill, the State government will have full powers over the Municipal Corporations and Municipal Councils, which are considered as local governments, once the new Telangana Municipalities Bill, 2019 is adopted by the Assembly.
The State can cancel any resolution passed by the civic body, can suspend the chairperson, vice-chairperson and even the ward member. The government will wield its control over the Urban Local Bodies through the district collectors.
For instance, according to Section 65 of the Bill: “The government may, either suo-moto or on representation by any member — the chairperson or the vice-chairperson, the district collector and the commissioner — may cancel any resolution passed, order issued, or license or permission granted by the Municipality.”
The same Section further proposes: “The government or the district collector, may, either suo-moto or on a representation of chairperson, vice-chairperson, member, commissioner or employee of a municipality, by notification, suspend any chairperson, vice-chairperson or member who, in their opinion, wilfully misbehaved or manhandled any other member, officer, or employee of the municipality, or destroyed the property of the municipality, or used unparliamentary language or abused his/her position in the course of meetings of the municipality, or during the discharge of any duty, so as to lead to a situation in which the municipal administration cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Act, or the financial stability of the municipality is threatened, for a period not exceeding six months, pending investigation into the said charges and action thereon under the foregoing provisions of this section.”
RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHAIRPERSON
The chairperson will maintain sanitation, water supply and proper street lights in the town. He/she must ensure door-to-door garbage collection from all the residential and commercial establishments. They must also undertake protection of government lands and opens spaces and take action against encroachers
SUSPENDEES CAN’T CONTEST FOR 6 YRS
Any person removed from the office of the chairperson, vice-chairperson or ward member shall not be eligible for election as a member for a period of six years from the date of the removal. However, the Bill gives an opportunity to the suspended member to appeal before the municipal tribunal
Break-up of the Bill
Here are a few provisions specified in the new municipal bill
DUTIES OF THE COMMISSIONER
The commissioner should ensure that the municipality is free of illegal, unauthorised hoardings and other such advertisements that are put up in the municipality without permission. He/she shall work under the overall control and superintendence of the district collector
NO-TRUST MOTION
The new Bill proposes that no notice of motion expressing no-confidence should be made within three years of the date of assumption of the office by the chairperson. A copy of the motion must be sent to the collector
PENALTY IF CITIZEN CHARTER IS NOT IMPLEMENTED
The municipal services will be delivered online for the citizens in a time-bound manner. If the timeline is not adhered to, penalty will be levied and the same will be collected from the person responsible
DUTIES OF WARD MEMBER
The ward member must take up plantation works in the ward and ensure 85 per cent of plants survive. He/she must reduce use of bores, transmission loss and others
BEST OF THE WORLD
The officials, who prepared the draft of Bill, said that they took inspiration from Norway, Austria, Victoria in Australia, Paris and OECD countries. The best of the world has been incorporated in the Bill. “The Bill is very easy to understand and it was prepared as per the Constitution of the India,” official sources said
SELF-ASSESSMENT FOR PROPERTY OWNERS
The Bill offers an advantage to the house owners as he/she can have self assessment of property tax. The owner of a building for a new construction or reconstruction may submit an online self-certification and get his/her property assessed
Seven corporations to be created soon
The Bill proposes to create seven new municipal corporations — Badangpet, Bandlaguda, Boduppal, Peerzadiguda, Jawaharnagar, Nizampet and Meerpet. The number of corporations would rise to 13
dissolution POWERs
The Bill states that the State has the power to dissolve the municipality. Section 68 of the Bill says: “If, in the opinion of the government, the municipality is not competent to perform, or persistently makes default in performing the duties, or the financial stability or the credit of the municipality is threatened, the government, may direct that the municipality be dissolved.” The govt may reconstitute the municipality not later than six months from the date of dissolution
municipalities must report to govt
Every municipality shall submit to the government a report on the administration of the municipality during the preceding year and the annual action plan for the ensuing year not later than one month from the start of each financial year
GREEN BUDGET
Each municipality will have a green budget as per the new Municipality Bill. Ten per cent of the total municipal budget will be earmarked for the same. The cost of maintaining nurseries, taking up plantations and their maintenance will be met by this budget. The chairperson or the mayor and the commissioner shall be responsible for setting up nurseries in their respective municipalities. It is the responsibility of the ward member and the special officer to ensure at least 85 per cent of these plants survive