The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Stalin to head committee

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 17, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Stalin to head committee

Special Correspondent

It will recommend devolution of powers to local bodies

TAKING STOCK: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi chairing a Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat in Chennai on Monday. — Photo: M. Vedhan

CHENNAI: Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin will head a high-power committee to recommend devolution of powers to local bodies to ensure that they function effectively.

The 10th meeting of the Cabinet held on Monday and chaired by Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi decided that the committee have officials, representatives of local bodies and experts as members. The committee would submit its recommendations in three months.

Finance panel report

A Cabinet committee would examine the recommendations of the Tamil Nadu Third Finance Commission on the devolution of finance to local bodies.

The Cabinet also decided to continue with the desalination plant project initiated by the earlier government after the contractor agreed to reduce the rate for a kilolitre of water from Rs.48.68 to Rs.48.66.

The contractor had also agreed to withdraw his demand for an increase of Rs.2.50 per kilolitre.

Official sources say the project is likely to be commissioned by the middle of 2008. The special purpose vehicle, set up for the project, is to achieve financial closure within 45 days after the completion of certain formalities. Once this is done, the revised deadline for commissioning will be fixed.

The project is yet to receive environmental clearance from the Union Environment and Forests Ministry, the sources say.

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