Symposium on #LocalGovernance, Problems and Solution @bread4theworld @welt

09 February, Amrit Nagar (Hazaribag): Under joint auspices of NBJK and BFW (Germany), a symposium was organized upon problems and possible solution for Local Self-governance by Urban Bodies in Jharkhand. Mr. Girija Satish (President, NBJK) has welcomed all participants and initiated the discussion with important role of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) for development as per 74th constitutional amendment.

He called for reform in functioning of State Finance Commission as well as of ULBs and advocated for discretionary grant allocation to address priorities smoothly. Mr. Girija Satish has drawn attention towards loopholes like lack of proper skill among ULB staffs, their irregular salary, unprofessional approach and compulsion to work at officers’ residence instead of genuine work place. He suggested for a rational structure of municipal tax in accordance with the services available and a fixed proportion of all central-state revenue to support ULBs. There should be a realistic annual plan about sanitation, water supply, drainage, road & others by such bodies with a free hand to outsource major cleanliness work and to ensure primary-secondary garbage disposal points including dustbins, he opined.

Also Mr. Gautam Sagar Rana (President, Jharkhand State RJD) has joined the discourse as an inhabitant of Hazaribag town and raised the issues like encroachment of old water structures, irregularities in appointment of municipal staffs along with  need of suitable structure at public places. Mr. Rana has advised NBJK to support sanitation work in Hazaribag town and for a people’s memorandum to Deputy Commissioner about civic problems. Mr. Shamsher Alam has urged for a defined role of ULBs and demanded to ban heart throbbing DJ sounds. Prof. R. S. Ambashtha has expressed deep concern over possession of government land by influential people and suggested to question people’s representatives. He requested Jharkhand government to review the hike of municipal tax.

Also Mrs. Noorjahan Begam (Matwari), Mrs. Abha Devi (Khirgaon), Mrs. Rehana Khatoon (PTC Chowk), Mr. Rajkumar (Mali Tola), Mrs. Anjali Singh (Okni) have shared their distress upon poor civic facilities and liquor shops in their areas. They demanded for action by the municipality. Mr. Shankar Rana (Coordinator, Lok Samiti) has anchored the dais and concluded with vote of thanks while Mr. Rajiv Singh (Program Manager) and Md. Nayeem (Asst. PM) have supported the event.