Lucknow, 22 Aug (HS): Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has given

instructions to start the implementation of the scheme to develop the

municipalities of the district headquarters as smart and developed

municipalities. In the review meeting of the Urban Development Department on

Friday, the Chief Minister said that the objective of the Smart-Developed

Municipality Scheme is to develop the municipalities of the district

headquarters in a modern, self-reliant and citizen-centric form. He directed

that work on this should be started as soon as possible. Officials informed

that under the scheme, modern facilities like Gaurav Path, Pink Toilet, Urban

Facility Center, Smart Classroom and Anganwadi, Theme Based Park, Historical

Heritage Conservation, Revival of Reservoirs, EV Charging Station, Green

Crematorium and Digital Services will be developed in the municipalities. Along

with this, Utsav Bhavan, Community Center and 'One District One Product' based

structures will also be established to strengthen the local economy.

The Chief Minister said that this scheme can be implemented on a

hub-and-spoke model. For example, the municipalities of the adjacent district

headquarters can be connected to the Integrated Command and Control Centres

located in Lucknow and Gorakhpur. This will modernise the services like

security, surveillance and grievance redressal in the municipalities and better

use of resources will be possible. He also said that the projects in each

municipality should be selected on the basis of local requirements and

financial resources should be allocated according to the physical and financial

progress of the municipal bodies. Officials said that there is a proposal to

provide a grant of Rs 4 crore to Rs 10 crore to the municipal bodies, which

will be based on their population and efficiency. The Chief Minister said that

giving a developed-smart look to the municipalities of the district

headquarters will not only strengthen the infrastructure, but the citizens will

also get quality and transparent services.

In the meeting, a proposal was presented to operate 200 electric

buses in Lucknow and Kanpur on net cost contract mode and to directly purchase

650 buses in other cities. On this, the Chief Minister said that electric buses

should be encouraged and the necessary charging infrastructure for this should

also be prepared soon.

In another important directive, the Chief Minister stressed on

the immediate resolution of discrepancies in various tax dues of residents in

all municipal corporations. He said that a campaign should be launched in this

regard to invite objections from the people and by organizing solution camps;

the problems of the citizens should be resolved appropriately and

satisfactorily. He also said that all municipal bodies should have their own

buildings.

The need to increase the financial approval limits of the municipal

bodies was also discussed in the meeting. Officials said that there has been no

change in these limits for the last 20 years. On this, the Chief Minister said

that in accordance with the spirit of the 74th Constitutional Amendment,

municipal bodies should get more financial and administrative powers. He

directed that the financial approval limits of the Municipal Commissioner,

Mayor, Executive Committee and Municipal Corporation Board should be expanded

immediately.

In the meeting, the Chief Minister also directed to establish

Shaheed Chandrashekhar Azad International Shooting Range and Multipurpose

Sports Complex in Lucknow. He said that these projects should be started on

priority on PPP mode, so that the sports talents of the state get recognition on

the international platform and employment opportunities are also created at the

local level.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi