Punjab's urban local bodies cry foul as babus set to have more say in day-to-day functioning
Rajmeet Singh
Chandigarh, September 11
In a move that appears to undermine the spirit of the decentralisation of powers, as per the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, the state bureaucracy will have more say in the day-to-day functioning of the urban local bodies (ULBs), under the Department of Local Government, if the recent orders are any indication.
The Punjab Government has delegated the work of the Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Corporations in 17 districts to the Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) and ADC (Urban Development), including in the Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda and SAS Nagar civic bodies.
Powers vested with ADCs
- ADCs to act as field officers to implement govt policies
- All resolutions of Class I MCs/Improvement Trusts to be routed via ADCs to Director, Local Govt
- To exercise powers under 3 (iii) of the Delimitation of Wards of Municipal Rules, 1972
- Inspection of municipalities
- To take cognisance directly on matters/complaints against officers of the respective ULB as ex-officio Chief Vigilance Officer
“It is against the very spirit of empowering the ULBs to be independent entities. The six posts of Deputy Director were abolished to make way for the ADC (Urban Development). Now the government says that the workload of the ADC (Urban Development) was less and the work has been handed over to the ADCs (General), who are already looking after the responsibilities of the respective districts under the Deputy Commissioner. It would further complicate
the functioning of the Local Government,” said an officer of the department, preferring anonymity.
Sanjeev Bittu, Patiala Mayor, said the government needs to clarify whether the powers were vested with an elected Mayor, elected head of the Municipal Council or Nagar Panchayat, or the bureaucracy. “The bureaucracy needs to be made accountable. The powers to write an ACR of the Municipal Commissioner or transfer the employees have been taken away from the Mayors,” he added.
Even the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), in its recent report, pointed out that though the state government made necessary amendments to the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act and Punjab Municipal Act to comply with the provisions of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, these were not supported by firm actions in terms of empowerment of the ULBs to discharge their functions freely and effectively.
The state government has overriding powers over the ULBs in matters like framing of rules, and cancelling or suspending a resolution, besides other functions.
Manjeet Sethi, former Deputy Mayor of the Mohali MC, said, “Empowering the bureaucrats increases harassment of the common man. The elected representatives need to be empowered in the day-to-day functioning of the ULBs. Many powers of the Director, Local Government, have been given to the ADCs. Then where is the need of the Local Government?”
In a notification issued on September 6, the ADCs (Urban Development) and ADCs (General) in 17 districts have been given regulatory powers under the Punjab Municipal Act 1911, Punjab Improvement Trust 1922 and rule/bylaws made in respect of the ULBs.
