Urban Development Minister Vinaya Kumar Sorake for ward committees in all corporations

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Oct 8, 2014 : Minister for Urban Development Vinay Kumar Sorake ,responding to request made by a citizens at the public grievance meeting on issues related to Mangalore City Corporation, at council hall on October7, stated it is mandatory to form the ward committees in all the corporations. Some of the municipal corporations have already initiated the process of forming ward committees. Along with it, area sabhas and citizen forums should be constituted and deliberations should be held, he said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the demand to include Mangalore in smart city project, the Minister said that according to the recent guidelines for smart city project, the population has to be between five to 10 lakh. Though the Central government has shortlisted 44 cities, the list has not been finalised yet.  Along with Mysore and Hubli which fall within the criteria, the department will also recommend the Central government to consider Mangalore to be included in the project. Mangalore may also be added in the port city project and the department has recommended Udupi, Bijapur and Mysore for heritage city project, he said.

To a query on vacant posts in the Mangalore City Corporation, the Minister said that the department has taken up the process of appointing 2,500 A, B and C cadre officers and 1,000 Group D workers in the State.  The finance department has given approval to recruit 2,500 staff and the department has started the process.

“Taking note of the poor progress in implementing 22.75 per cent scheme in almost all the corporations, the government has decided to revise the guidelines. Along with relaxing the guidelines, it will also be made mandatory to utilise the amount under the scheme on the same year,” he said.  He was reacting to a point raised by Mangalore City Corporation Chief Whip Shashidhar Hegde, who said that the MCC council had made some changes in the 22.75 programme and submitted it to the government seeking approval three months ago, but has not received any response.

Of the total 33 grievances submitted by general public, most of them were pertaining to individual problems. Hanumanth Kamath from Nagarika Hitharakshana Vedike complained to the Minister about the delay on the part of the Mangalore City Corporation authorities to demolish 166 unauthorised buildings that were listed when Harish Kumar was the city commissioner. Though few building owners have approached the court and got a stay, why have not the authorities demolished buildings that have been built violating parking space, he asked.   Sorake directed the officers to look into all the complaints at the earliest. He assured that he would convene a review meeting at the Mangalore City Corporation within 10 days and would review progress of  various matters.

  Appointment of MCC commissioner awaited:  Minister for Urban Development Vinay Kumar Sorake, clarifying on the delay in appointing a full-time commissioner to the MCC, Sorake denied reports on the CM passing an order to reinstate Ajith Kumar Hegde as the MCC commissioner. “The CM has not passed any order to reinstate Hegde. He was removed from his post as he does not belong to IAS/KAS cadre.

There were also complaints from the DK DC and elected representatives that development works had not progressed during his tenure. Though later the CM appointed a KAS officer to the post, the decision was withdrawn following opposition. The department  requires a KAS or IAS officer to be appointed to the post and that appointment has to be made by the CM,” said Sorake.