Haryana CM to enhance powers of civic body representatives

GURUGRAM, Haryana: Nayab Singh Saini, the Chief Minister of Haryana, has announced measures to enhance the authority of urban local body representatives, including municipal corporations and municipal councils.

The chief minister stated that until ward committees are officially established, councilors of the individual wards will have full authority to accelerate development work in their wards.

Saini added, “If a secretary is not designated to the ward committee or is unable to attend a meeting for any reason, the councilor will be authorised to offer Rs 1,000 per meeting for the necessary preparations.” Councillors will also receive a meeting allowance for serving as chairpersons at each quarterly meeting of the ward committee.

Saini further announced the formation of a committee led by Subhash Sudha, the Minister of State for Urban Local Bodies, Haryana, to increase the honorarium for municipal body representatives.

He said that all municipal councillors would monitor various tasks within their respective wards including budgeting for development works, managing cleanliness, land development or change of land use and zoning plan work, maintaining playgrounds, roads, and streetlights, monitoring health centre activities, ensuring water supply, managing education and health services, and arranging basic services for the urban poor.

He also mentioned that it will now be mandatory for relevant department employees to attend ward committee meetings. Councillors will also benefit from medical facilities under the Ayushman Bharat – Chirayu Yojana, CM added.