Minister for Municipal Administration H.C. Balakrishna, who has been batting for greater priority on resource mobilisation by urban local bodies (ULBs), said urban areas account for around 40% of the population, but receive only about 30% of funding from the Centre and State.

Mr. Balakrishna’s observation came during a meeting he was holding with officials of ULBs from Hassan and Mandya districts at the Regional Commissioner’s office in Mysuru on Tuesday (September 1).

Mr. Balakrishna also directed officials to create awareness among the property owners to get their properties assessed for obtaining A or B khata as applicable.

He also called upon the officials to ensure that the merchants of commercial shops rented out by the ULBs pay their rent regularly within the stipulated deadline. “If they fail to do so, notices should be issued and the shops closed,” he said, while warning that action would also be taken against officials if rent from commercial properties was not collected due to their negligence.

Officials were directed to prepare district-wise lists of drinking water and underground drainage works that were being delayed and arrange for separate meetings of the respective MLAs with the contractors and officials to resolve the issues.

The ULBs had already been instructed to reserve two acres of land for developing residential layouts for pourakarmikas, and the work was in progress. In addition, the Department of Municipal Administration would write to the district administrations to reserve five acres of land either on the outskirts of ULBs or in rural areas to provide sites to pourakarmikas after their retirement, he said.

Excise Minister Shivalinge Gowda, who also participated in the meeting, said many town panchayats in Hassan district were facing a shortage of staff and requested that at least the minimum required personnel be posted to them. He said the implementation of the directions issued by the Urban Development Minister to officials at the divisional level would be reviewed at district-level meetings.

Responding to this, Mr. Balakrishna said officials and staff currently deputed to other departments would be recalled and posted to areas within the Municipal Administration Department that are facing staff shortages. 

In ULBs that were able to mobilise higher revenues, officials should engage eligible personnel through outsourcing, in accordance with the rules, he said.

MLAs A. Manju, A.B. Ramesh Babu Bandisiddegowda, Director of the Municipal Administration Department P. Ravindra, and other officials were present at the meeting.