Plea to Centre on VMC fund release

Vijayawada, Oct 1 (UNI) Vijayawada's First Mayor T Venkateswara Rao today urged Union Minister for Urban Development S Jaipal Reddy to direct the Andhra Pradesh Government to release Rs 150 crore funds due to Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC).

In a memorandum submitted to the Union Minister, Mr Rao claimed though funds were allocated by the Centre to Andhra Pradesh on the recommendations of XI and XII Finance Commissions, the state government had totally failed to release the amount to local bodies.

He appealed the Centre to implement the Mayor-in-Council System in VMC similar to West Bengal, Kerala and Maharashtra.

If the system was implemented, it would give more powers to Mayor. At present the municipal commissioner was having more powers than the Mayor, he claimed.

In his response, Mr Jaipal Reddy said according to 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution, powers should be delegated to local bodies.

However, as it was a state subject, the Centre would not interfere, he observed.

UNI