Smart Governance System coming for urban local bodies in Tamil Nadu
CHENNAI: Municipal Administration Minister KN Nehru on Thursday announced that a Smart Governance System (SGS) would be launched for all urban local bodies to ensure proper service delivery, including provision of drinking water and other basic amenities.
Based on feedback of people, a star rating for towns will be given. This scheme will be implemented as a pilot scheme in select urban local bodies.
Talking to The New Indian Express, a senior official explained how this system will work. "The SGS is aimed at monitoring service delivery using technology and getting feedback from people on services like streetlights, public toilets, etc," the official said.
"Outside public toilets, we will be putting up QR codes for 'proper maintenance' and 'improper maintenance'. The public can just scan the appropriate QR code and send it to the officials concerned for further action if the facility is not maintained properly. We are planning a help desk to handle such grievances received through the online system," he added.
"The SGS is also aimed at creating awareness among the people about various schemes, hours of availability of public services etc. The people will be requested to give their feedback," the official added.
The Minister also announced the scheme 'People's Movement for Clean Cities' (PMCC) to ensure cleanliness in urban local bodies by engaging all stakeholders.
"Now, we have over 12,800 elected representatives for urban local bodies. These representatives, officials, voluntary organisations, and resident welfare associations will be involved in this drive to create awareness about the importance of cleanliness habits like segregating garbage and keeping surroundings clean," the official said.
“To bring in change, we need to continuously talk to people about Dos and Don’ts through PMCC. Indore in Madhya Pradesh is continuously getting top Swachhta ranking every year because everyone there takes pride in keeping their city clean,” the official said.
A new scheme for the empowerment of sanitary workers and a new scheme for street vendors would also be implemented. “Under the scheme, street vendors will be given identity cards. Certain localities, roads and streets will be declared as ‘vending zones’. Once a particular area is declared as vending zone, then nobody should go and trouble them,” the official added.
Key announcements made by Municipal Admin Minister
Smart Governance System for urban local bodies
People’s Movement for Clean Cities scheme
Sanitary Workers' Empowerment Scheme
Scheme for street vendors' welfare
Area Sabhas and Ward Committees to be created
To enact Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act to cover all urban local bodies
Drinking water schemes in urban local bodies at Rs 1,856.83 crore
Roads damaged by floods and other causes in Chennai will be repaired at a cost of Rs 400 crore; roads damaged in other urban civic bodies will be repaired at Rs 275 crore
Multi-purpose integrated bus terminus at Broadway terminus
To ensure 24/7 drinking water supply in Kodambakkam and Adyar areas in Chennai, schemes will be implemented at cost of Rs 1,958.25 crore