Kerala - Kozhikode   

IAS officer sought for Corporation

Biju Govind

Kozhikode: The city Corporation hopes that an IAS officer will be appointed its secretary.

The councillors have been keeping in mind the need for an IAS officer as secretary to streamline the functioning of the corporation office. With the incumbent, P. Venugopal, getting promoted as Director of Information and Public Relations, Thiruvananthapuram, they are raising the demand.

"Municipal governance will certainly improve if an IAS officer is appointed secretary. I have made a proposal to Minister for Local Administration Paloli Mohammedkutty. He has assured me that the matter will be taken up at the next Cabinet meeting," Mayor M. Bhaskaran told The Hindu here on Tuesday.

Mayors of Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode had voiced the need for appointing IAS officers secretaries.

"An IAS officer in charge of the post of the secretary will create a disciplined work culture among the employees. Many of the problems faced by residents can be solved easily," Mr. Bhaskaran said.

The Corporation has over 750 employees and an equal number of labourers in various departments. The number of employees is more than that of the District Collectorate.

The performance of local bodies can be bettered only with efficient officers in the IAS cadre, particularly when big projects are being implemented in the city, Mr. Bhaskaran said.

Several schemes

The Corporation is going ahead with several schemes utilising loans and grants from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

It is also obtaining grants from the Centrally sponsored Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns and the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme.

An IAS officer will be able to coordinate with the ADB as well as the Union Government officials effectively, he said. The Corporation will obtain Rs. 150 crore from the ADB for the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Programme in four phases till 2012. The first instalment of Rs. 28 crore will be received this fiscal.

The Corporation will receive Rs. 180 crore under the urban infrastructure development scheme for six years. The Centre has approved the Rs. 7.15-crore project under the housing programme.

Mr. Bhaskaran said an advantage in appointing an IAS officer was it would help to synchronise the functioning of the Corporation with that of the district administration. Several issues related to supply of drinking water and electricity in the city could be solved. He said a senior bureaucrat with the State Government would also help in implementing projects left unfinished by the Calicut Development Authority.

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