Altaf Hussain Janjua
Jammu, Jan 19 (IANS) In Jammu and Kashmir, the government has formulated a new policy for local bodies (municipal councils and municipalities) under which the best performing institutions in various sectors will be further encouraged and given additional funds.
According to the authorities, seven categories and 138 indications have been determined to show significant performance in local government institutions in quality of life and services, economic capacity, technology, urban planning, governance, sustainability and climate and citizens’ perception.
The institutions performing well on these counts will receive additional funds.
The Jammu & Kashmir Aspirational Towns Development Programme has been created under which additional grants will be given in the form of Urban Reform Incentive Fund (URIF).
Officials said it will act as a guide for evidence-based policy making, catalysing action to achieve broader development outcomes, including sustainable development goals, while evaluation and comparison of results from municipal institutions, citizens will provide information on the functioning of local institutions and the necessary financial incentives to establish a dialogue among the partners and the municipalities to make improvements to become aspirational cities.
The J&K government has come out with URIF and Aspirational Towns Development Programme (ATDP) to encourage municipal reforms.
The 74th Amendment Act of 1993 constitutionally recognised the urban local bodies as the third tier of governance. As has been seen, the municipalities have become nore important for urban governance.
It is therefore obvious that the development and governance of citizens is determined by the functioning of the municipalities.
–IANS
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