THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Government, if required, is ready to amend the existing policies for finding a permanent solution to various issues faced by Municipalities and Corporations, Urban Affairs Minister P K Kunhalikutty has said.
Speaking at the review meeting of Corporation Mayors, Secretaries and other local body heads here on Tuesday, the Minister directed the Urban Affairs Director to compile a detailed report based on the complaints and the solutions that came up in the meeting.
The Minister said that after studying the report, it would be discussed with the Opposition parties, if required, to reach a consensus on various issues faced by local bodies, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. Then the report would be placed before the State Cabinet.
Even though about ` 30 crore was allotted recently by the State Government to the local bodies, the Government admitted that it was not enough and the same had been brought to the notice of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
The meeting also observed that there was a delay in implementing various projects, which should also be rectified.
The representatives of Corporations and Municipalities said in the meeting that more freedom should be given to them and the administrative process for spending the funds ought to be simplified.
The Minister pointed out that the issue of garbage disposal is one of the main problems faced by the State Government. Kunhalikutty said that the local bodies should handle this issue with more responsibility. He also said in the meeting that if any local body approached the State Government with concrete plans for garbage disposal, then immediate sanction would be given to the project.
Local Self-Government Principal Secretary James Varghese and Urban Affairs Director B Ashok were among the others who spoke at the meeting.