The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Visakhapatnam News : Delimitation of civic wards likely

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 17, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Delimitation of civic wards likely

By Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM, AUG. 16. The Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Koneru Ranga Rao, on Monday said that delimitation of municipal wards would be considered for administrative convenience.

Addressing a press conference here, he said an exercise would be launched soon to remove disparities in various wards before the local body polls due early next year. He also hinted at increasing the number of wards in Visakhapatnam from 50 to 60.

Polls to local bodies

He put at rest speculation that the civic elections would be postponed, saying that the Government had no jurisdiction to supersede local bodies. The State Election Commission was the designated agency to hold polls once their term expired.

Inspects works

Mr. Ranga Rao, during his whirlwind tour in the city, inspected the progress of pump house, reservoir and intake well being constructed at Narava for the Godavari Drinking Water Supply Project and later addressed a meeting of corporators at the council hall. He also attended a meeting organised by the Visakha-I MLA, Dronamraju Satyanarayana.

Godavari diversion

During his inspection, the Minister expressed satisfaction over the progress of work and said Godavari waters would be diverted to the city by November as per schedule.

He promised the Mayor, Rajana Ramani, to consider favourably her request to bring the Meghadrigedda reservoir under the control of the Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation.

She said the VMC was spending Rs. 30 lakhs a year on maintenance of the reservoir, besides huge expenses towards electricity.

Officials warned

Cautioning officials of action, he directed them to visit slums regularly so as to improve the living conditions there, he said, adding 40 per cent of funds allotted to the municipalities should be spent on development of slums.

Staff pattern

He said the Government would review the staff pattern. There were a lot of anomalies in grading of various posts. A high-level meeting would be convened some time next month to streamline the system, he added.

Later, the Mayor and Mr. Satyanarayana, the Deputy Mayor, Malla Appala Raju, the Congress floor leader, P. L. N. Patnaik, the Standing Committee chairman, P. G. K. Varma, and the CPI(M) floor leader, B. Eswaramma, asked the Minister to increase the number of wards depending on their size and population.

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