Andhra Pradesh - Ongole   

Congress MP thanks Chief Minister

ONGOLE: Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy's announcement on Friday to upgrade Ongole town into a municipal corporation, is expected to usher in faster development thanks to more funds under Central and State schemes.

Congress MP from Ongole M. Srinivasulu Reddy thanked the Chief Minister as also Municipal Administration Minister M. Mahidhar Reddy for providing the “prestigious” status.

“Ongole and its surroundings will now be able to get more funds for drinking, drainage and other urban civic projects and the entire town will get a facelift,” he said, talking to The Hindu.

“We will step up efforts to get funds under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) and other schemes to speed up the development process,” the MP said.

“We will be able to improve the living condition of common people thanks to the Integrated Slum Development Programme,” the MP said. “We will get 80 per cent central funds for these development projects for the town , while the State and municipal corporation have to contribute 10 per cent each,” he added.

However, CPI(M) town secretary K. V. Konda Reddy felt that upgradation by itself would not automatically lead to development.

User charges

“The civic body will be forced to impose user charges on a range of services including supply of water, removal of garbage to be eligible for accessing funds under JNNURM and other central schemes,” the CPI(M) leader said.

“This will mean imposition of more burden on the common people of the town lagging much in development when compared to other cities and towns in the state,” the Marxist leader opined.

BJP Town President Y. C. Yogaiah Yadav said the upgradation did not mean anything to the common people suffering from poor civic infrastructure. Despite repeated promises, 24-hours water supply had not been ensured for the entire town.

TDP District General Secretary Y. Srinivasa Yadav said the upgradation meant 75 per cent hike in property tax even in small adjoining rural local bodies proposed to be merged with Ongole without additional facilities.

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