Implement nine reforms to avail AMRUT 2.0 benefits, ULBs told

Ambika Sharma

Solan, March 10

In a bid to improve the delivery of citizen services and the civic infrastructure, the urban local bodies (ULBs) have been directed to implement nine reforms in a time-bound manner.

These reforms are a part of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0, which provides financial assistance to the ULBs.

Manmohan Sharma, Director, Urban Development Department, has directed officials of the Town and Country Planning Department and Jal Shakti Department along with the Commissioners of all Municipal Corporations, executive officers of the Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats to ensure that reforms falling under their respective departments were implemented within the stipulated time.

PACe of work

• The absence of a regular Commissioner in the Solan MC for the past seven months is likely to impact the pace of implementation of these reforms
• Though the Congress had raked up the issue while being in the Opposition, its govt has failed to depute a regular Commissioner in the Solan MC even after three months of coming into power

Key reforms relating to property tax are supposed to be achieved by September this year. The amount of property tax has to be evaluated and collected after duly mapping the properties.

A GIS-based mapping of properties is supposed to be undertaken for smooth collection of the property tax. The MC is yet to begin the mapping and the process is slated to take several months. It remains to be seen if the exercise can be completed in a timely manner.

Other reforms such as the online delivery of services like property tax, user charges, issuance of trade licences and mutations, etc, are supposed to be successfully implemented till next year.

Though an online system was introduced in Solan, its operation was far from being smooth.

Several incentive-based reforms — comprising leveraging technological advancements through building bylaws — have also been included in the list. Facilities such as dual water piping for drinking and non-potable purposes, electric vehicle charging points and WiFi infrastructure having high speed are supposed to be set up by March next year.

Reforms are also supposed to be introduced for providing civic amenities such as water, wherein the expenditure is to be reduced by installing meters at all sources and bulk distribution points. Stress has been laid on the reuse of treated water as 20 per cent of the urban demand is met through the recycled water in the state.This reform is slated to bring down the wastage of water, owing to leaking pipes, in Solan.

Deputy Mayor Rajeev Kaura said they had begun the work to implement the reforms, which would be achieved within the stipulated time. “An agency has been identified for undertaking the property tax-related survey, a key reform under the AMRUT-2.0,” he added.

Notably, the ULBs comprise four Municipal Corporations — Dharamsala, Solan, Mandi and Palampur — 29 Municipal Councils, 27 Nagar Panchayats and seven Cantonment Boards.