Selja assures Mayors on their demand for more executive powers

Mumbai, June 9 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja today assured Mayors from all over the country that necessary amendments providing them executive powers for various developmental works would soon be passed.

Addressing the Mayors' National Conference, organised by All India Institute of Local Self Government here, she said other recommendations for the allevation of urban poverty were also being considered.

The various mayors had stressed the need for being provided executive powers, as they had to wait for goverment approval for implementing projects.

''The Mayors should be given powers to execute any project and the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act should be implemented as soon as possible,'' Jhansi Mayor B S Lal said.

''The Mayors are people's representatives and they should be able to take decisions on their own for any project rather than depend on the Municipal Commissioner or any other authority to get their work done,''Aurangabad Mayor Bhagwat Karad said.

Mumbai Mayor Dr Shubha Raul said that the Mayors could promote partnerships between local self governments and organisations of the urban poor and they could also facilitate communication and partnerships among government, NGOs, communities and all stake holders.

The powers of the Commissioner and the Mayors had been outlined and it was for the government to decide on further review, BMC Commissioner Dr J Pathak said.

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