Empower Mayors to solve Municipal Problems, Secretary, Urban Development said at Naredco’s 13th National Convention 2013 in New Delhi

New Delhi, August 23, 2016: Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, Mr. Rajiv Gauba on Friday emphasized that in the federal structure of Indian union, states should delegate powers to Mayors’ of Municipalities to enable them to execute planning of cities so that the problem of clogging in urban infrastructure and their sanitation is properly addressed to.

Speaking at a 13th National Convention on a theme “India is Future Ready: Housing & Infrastructure-Key Catalysts” under aegis of NAREDCO here today, the Secretary also emphasized that to put up neater, cleaner and tidier civic and sanitation facilities in metropolis and other such cities, the role of multiple authorities should be drastically cut and that municipalities and municipal corporations under jurisdiction of Mayors should be sufficiently empowered to.

Mr. Gauba also called that time has come for substantially reduce the approvals for putting up housing and urban projects with roles of multiple authorities being pruned to a large extent so that the projects take off immediately after their conception with reasonable timings of approvals.

He pointed out that in the existing federal set up housing and other such projects require host of approvals not only from states but also with the consent of centre, whose intervention sometime is uncalled for. “This approach should undergo a change at emerging times”, felt the Secretary.

Principal Secretary, Urban Development and Housing Department, Rajasthan, Mr. Mukesh Sharma in his remarks felt that for suitable and timely implementation of housing and infrastructure projects, online approvals should be the priority and even if the government concerned delays such approvals through online window, after a given time is lapsed, approvals through this channel should follow automatic.

Among others who spoke on the occasion airing almost similar views comprised Chairman, NAREDCO, Mr. Rajeev Talwar; CEO, Raymond Real Estate, Mr. Abhishek Kapoor; CEO, Operations, JLL India, Mr. Santosh Kumar and Partner-Strategy and Innovation, KPMG in India, Mr. Jaijit Bhattacharya.

Corporate Comm India(CCI Newswire)