Madikeri: Has the absence of District Planning Committee (DPC) in Kodagu district hampered development works in the district?

The DPC is a vital organisation for preparing plans for the development of the district and their implementation.

The DPCs are constituted in the districts under Section 310 of the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act of 1993. In spite of the completion of elections to the zilla panchayat in December last, the DPC in Kodagu has not been formed. Official apathy and callousness of the elected representatives have added to the delay in its formation. The DPC will be headed by the zilla panchayat president and the Chief Executive Officer will be its member-secretary. What has hindered the formation of the DPC is that there is no elected body in Madikeri City Municipal Council (CMC). The Kushalnagar town panchayat too does not have an elected body and is being looked after by an administrator. The elected representatives were not keen in constituting the DPC. Some members felt that non-constitution of the body had led to tardy progress in the development works in the district. Peeved zilla panchayat members are set to take up the matter with the authorities concerned to take steps to form the DPC as early as possible.

Sources in the zilla panchayat said the calendar of events for the constitution of the DPC was now getting ready. The process could be completed by the first week of September, sources said.

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