Amendments in Municipal Laws

Amendments in Municipal Laws

The Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja has said, as part of the reform agenda under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) being implemented w.e.f. December 3, 2005 all municipalities are expected to earmark municipal budget for the poor with a view to providing them basic services and undertaking urban poverty alleviation programmes. In this connection guidelines have been issued by the Central Government to States on 31.10.2010. State Governments have also been requested to undertake legislative amendments to ensure the allocation of minimum of 25% of municipal budget for basic services to the urban poor. The guidelines have been recently issued and it will take time for the State Governments to undertake legislative measures in pursuance of the guidelines.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today she said, the proposed amendments envisage earmarking of funds for basic services to the urban poor including the inhabitants of the slum areas. Basic Services include expenditure on capital and revenue account directly incurred on water supply, drainage, sewerage, construction of community toilets, solid waste management, connecting roads, street lighting, public parks and play grounds, community and livelihood centres, community health centres, pre-primary and primary education centres, affordable housing for poor and other services as determined by the Municipality but shall not include establishment expenses, including salary and wages, not directly and specifically incurred for delivery of basic services to the poor.