States have to set municipal service to get JNNURM funds: Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath

NEW DELHI: To create specialised batches of officers for municipal bodies, the Centre has decided to make its grants for development of urban projects conditional to setting up of special municipal cadre by state governments.

Addressing a conference here, Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath said that in the next phase of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the Centre would give grants to only those states who establish a municipal service.

"We have put a condition before every state government that if the state governments want central funds from JNNURM, then they will have to establish a municipal service in the state," Nath said

He said that the creation of a municipal service was necessary "so that the municipalities and municipal corporations have the skill and capability to conceive projects and implement projects."

Nath was addressing representatives of several Nagar Palikas and Nagar Panchayats (municipal bodies) from all over the country.

"The current situation is that in our Nagar Palikas and Panchayats often there were no officers or if there were officers they were not with the right ones," Nath said.

Nath said that often the officers in Urban Local bodies were posted on deputation who really did not have a long tern association with their areas.

"If there were officers then they are the ones who have come on deputation and have no attachment to the Nagar Palika or Nagar Panchayat where they are posted as they will be somewhere else after two years.

"So it is an important necessity that in every state there should be a dedicated municipal service," Nath said.

The urban Development minister said that "in the next JNNURM, the Union government had made a provision of Rs 1 lakh 75 crore".