The Hindu Business Line : YSR sets six-point agenda for civic chiefs

THE Andhra Pradesh Government has asked the recently-elected chiefs to civic bodies to implement a six-point agenda to enhance administration and service offerings in the respective towns and cities.

In an open letter to the elected representatives of municipalities and municipal corporations, the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, said they should discharge duties and functions with a sense of public sensitivity, commitment and sincerity.

"Achieve developmental goals of the respective towns and cities to fulfil the aspirations of people," he said.

While striving for involvement of the local community in decision-making as well as implementation process, the civic chiefs should identify loopholes, if any, in the existing delivery mechanisms and take steps to plug them.

"Consider a street or house as a unit for the purpose of planning developmental programmes," the Chief Minister said.

Lastly, they should actively participate in the World Bank-aided projects and Rajiv Nagara Bata programme that was aimed at identifying public grievances.

The Congress Party had registered a landslide victory in the recent polls to the civic bodies.

On its part, the Government would make every effort to strengthen the local bodies that lacked infrastructural facilities.

"We are committed to strengthening local bodies to usher in a truly local self-governance. We will thoroughly examine issues relating to transfer of powers to local bodies as laid out in the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments," he said.

If need be, the Government would set up a high-level panel to look into the issue. The local bodies in the State should be developed as a role model to others, he said.

He listed some issues that were on the agenda of the Government with regard to improving the lot of municipalities. It included ensuring 24-hour drinking water supply to a majority of towns, spending 40 per cent of funds in slums and achieving 100 per cent door-to-door collection of garbage and its scientific disposal.

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