RAIPUR: All India Mayors’ Conference held in Raipur underlined their need to seek more authority for the mayors besides a uniform system being put in place regarding their elections in the country.
The Mayors while advocating the best practices in civic administration highlighted the lacuna and issues they felt should be addressed as they argued for their fixed tenure in office.
They elucidated that the term of office of mayors in some places is one to two and half years while in other cities the period is five years.
The rules though for the urban bodies are usually framed by the respective states but the mayors demanded one equivalent system be evolved for their elections and tenure.
Some Mayors stressed enlarging the scope of their authority to carry out the performance appraisal of the commissioner posted in the municipal corporations.
The Mayor of Agra Naveen Jain, who is also president of the All India Council of Mayors, said that the posting of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who serves the municipal corporation as commissioner is seen to remain between 1 to 1.5 years.
“Such short duration is nothing more than a 'Time-Pass' for them which at times loses focus of the growth and transformation of urban areas through various schemes and projects. So there should be a separate cadre for such commissioner rank officials who besides getting posted in Raipur can also move to the municipal corporations of other states”, Jain said.
The two-day Mayors’ Conference ended on Sunday with a resolution incorporating the aforesaid suggestions.
“The resolution passed in the conference will be sent directly to the prime minister from where the execution process file proceeds to all the states”, said Jain.
The Mayors shared their experiences on significant achievements of their respective areas.
“Attempts would be made to bring into effect the efforts to enhance civic amenities in the municipal corporation areas and replicate the key achievements shared by other urban regions of the country”, said Aijaz Dhebar, Raipur Mayor.