BERHAMPUR: The process to include panchayat areas under the jurisdiction of Paralakhemundi Municipality has been initiated.Executive Officer Ashok Kumar Rout said the delimitation process would follow soon and subsequently, the number of wards in the 134-year-old municipality will be increased. These rural areas have already become part of the town, but are still governed by panchayats. These areas include Katalkaitha and Kerandi under Gosani block, Ranipentha in Kasinagar and Jhami under Gumma.
A proposal to include more areas in the municipality was mooted in the last meeting before the council was dissolved.
Paralakhemundi, which was under Madras Presidency, was declared a Municipality on August 17, 1885. It came under the control of the Union Government on April 16, 1957 after the merger of princely States.
Originally, Paralakhemundi Municipality consisted of three villages - Parla Khaspa, Kaviti Khaspa and Gheruvudiguda Khaspa.But now, the municipal area spans over 21.40 km covering Relli Shai, Gangadharpur, Krushnachandrapur, Dinakrushnapur, Gourachandrapur, Ramaswamypur, Kavitipur and Paralakhemundi town.
The municipality consists of 17 Wards of which 16 are in the town and Ramaswamypur as an outgrowth.
As per 2011 census, the population of the municipal area was 46,272, with 44,469 residing in the town and 1,803 in the outgrowth.
Locals said that inclusion of more areas in the municipality would lead to better revenue mobilisation and development. As the provision of development funds for urban areas is determined by the population of any civic body, inclusion of more areas in Paralakhemundi Municipality would bring in more funds.
The areas proposed to be included in the municipality were continuously neglected by the panchayats, they alleged.