In a setback to the Telangana government, the state's new Municipal Act, which was passed in the Legislature on Tuesday, faced some objections from Governor E S L Narasimhan, who advised that some provisions in the law be tweaked.
According to media reports, the Goverrnor had objected to sweeping powers that the Act gave to the state government, over local officials.
The Act said that the state government could cancel any resolution passed by a civic body and can even suspend chairpersons, wielding control over Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), through District Collectors.
It also stated out that the state government was empowered to decide the poll dates for ULBs. However, the Governor reportedly pointed out that the decision must stay with the Election Commission and recommended a change.
Following the objection, the government reportedly promulgated an ordinance, following which the Raj Bhavan gave assent to the Act on Wednesday evening.
Speaking in the Assembly, earlier this week, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had said that the state government had decided to strengthen local bodies by spending Rs 7,000 crore annually and Rs 35,000 crore in five years for the development of villages.
The state government has also decided to hold Panchayat Raj conclaves all over the state to create awareness on the new Panchayat Raj Act.
"The local bodies should prepare themselves to utilise these funds effectively. In the proposed conclaves, the duties and responsibilities of the officials and elected representatives to make the village clean and green will also be discussed," a press release from the CMO had stated.
After the conclaves, 100 flying squads with officials would be formed to undertake surprise inspection of the villages. The state government said that immediate action will be taken against those found guilty of dereliction of duty and for the misuse of funds.