Thiruvananthapuram : This government is committed to modernizing local self-govt establishments so they are in tune with with comprehensive development of the state, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Integration of local bodies is part of such commitment, said CM announcing the integration of local body department in the capital.
Also, this is one of the promises in the election manifesto of 2021. It is aimed to bring all local self-govt institutions under one umbrella. The govt during its previous tenure had classified this department into three sections for functional purposes, said CM.
People wish the local self bodies to become an integrated one. Up to now, the local bodies lay split under various departments : Grama Jilla Panchayats under Panchayat Dept, Block panchayats - Rural Development Dept and Corporaations - Finance Dept.
By contrast, the Engineering Division stayed coordinated under the Chief Engineer. The function of local self-govt bodies in their scattered fashion posed hindrance at several junctures, the reason why it was decided to coordinate them into one integral system. The potential of all departments shall be used to fullest extent in the new system.
The new department will have over 30,000 employees. Fund is a crucial factor. The government has on its part approved raising of Development Grant, Maintenance Grant and General Purpose Grant stipulated by the Finance Commission. As part of GST, the Local Govt Dept stands to incur loss of entertainment ex. The government will make up for that depletion, said CM.
Everybody should realise that government services are a right of the citizens. A guideline on stating citizens’ rights shall be published. A report toward their implementation should be filed with Grama Sabhas. The government is committed to ensure the guideline is thoroughly implemented, said CM.
The local bodies served with conscious effort when disasters struck the state. They also functioned impressively during Covid pandemic. The trend should be up kept. There should be no negativity about any of the services rendered by local bodies. What we wish is development for the state, said CM.
