KOCHI: LDF councillor and parliamentary party secretary Benedict Fernandes was on Tuesday elected as the first chairperson of the 10-member Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), which will drive the development of the greater Kochi region, spanning nine municipalities, 30 grama panchayats and the corporation in Ernakulam.
Earlier, six representatives from local bodies and four members, two each of the LDF and the UDF, from the Kochi Corporation, were elected as MPC members. Benedict, the CPM councillor from Fort Kochi Veli was chosen for the post by a coin toss, after five members each of the LDF and the UDF became the council members.
“The government will define the role of the council and provide the (development) policy matter after the oath-taking ceremony. We expect the collector to call a meeting of the MPC this week,” Benedict told TNIE, while stating that the activities won’t clash with that of the GCDA, which is the planning and development authority for the Greater Cochin region.
Other members in the MPC representing the 74 divisions of the corporation are Deepa Varma (CPM, Edapally), M G Aristotle (INC, Kathrikadavu), and Adv Deepthi Mary Varghese (INC, Karukappilly).