Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Mayors seek devolution of powers to local bodies

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Mayors’ Forum has placed more than 20 demands, including one on devolution of powers to local bodies, before the State government.

A delegation led by Forum convener and Kadapa Mayor P. Ravindranath Reddy met Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy in Hyderabad on Sunday to press for its demands.

The delegation urged him to create a ‘Mayor’s Special Fund’ with Rs. 1 crore, so that emergency works could be taken up with the fund. They wanted the Government to empower the mayors to take up public interest works on nomination basis, instead of calling for tenders.

They asked the Chief Minister to allow mayors to appoint staff on contract basis, according to city Mayor Mallika Begum.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Ms. Begum said the forum was of the view that mayors should have a say in transfers, promotions, appointments and suspension of employees in their corporations.

In addition, the government should send a copy of important reports and information to mayors, in addition to what it has already been sending to municipal commissioners.

The mayors should have cheque power jointly with the commissioner, on the lines of the system in vogue in the case of village sarpanches.

Ms. Begum said the delegation had urged the Chief Minister to allot house sites to corporators and mayors on a par with MLAs and MPs. Pension to corporators and mayors was also one of the demands, she said.

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