Amendment to KMC Act to increase the number of wards

Bangalore, Sep 13 (UNI) The Karnataka Cabinet has decided to bring necessary amendment to the State Municipal Act to realise the 'Greater Bangalore Project' and to pave way to increase the number of wards from 100 to 150, Home Minister M P Prakash said today.

Briefing newsmen after a cabinet meeting here, he said that it was decided to merge eight City Municipal Councils (CMCs) and other those villages where 30 per cent and more developmental works of basic ammenities have been completed, into the present Bangalore Metropolitan areas and increase the number of wards from 100 to 150.

Mr Prakash said that once eight CMCs and other surrounded villages merged into the Bangalore Metropolitan area the population of the City would increase to 65.23 lakhs from the present 56.86 lakhs. The population of the Bangalore was expected to reach 80 lakhs by 2010 accounting to 37 per cent of total urban population of the State.

He said that among other things the Cabinet also decided to extend the World Bank assisted Watershed programme 'Sujala' till March 2007. Taking into consideration of the benefits of the programme it was also decided to request the World Bank to extend financial assistance to the watershed programme for another period from March 2007 to March 2009.

He said that Rs 576 Crore has been spent in the first phase of the Watershed Programme in five districts. The State government has also approved for the Gutti Basavanna Lift Irrigation project in Northern Karnataka, implemented by Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigama Limited.

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