Bengal forms high-power panels for KMC ward delimitation exercise
Kolkata, July 12
The West Bengal Municipal Affairs & Urban Development Department has announced the formation of two separate high-power committees for the delimitation of wards under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, the oldest municipal corporation in the state, which is slated to go to the polls later this year.
As per a notification issued by the Additional Chief Secretary of the state Municipal Affairs & Urban Development Department, a copy of which is available with IANS, one of the two committees constituted for the exercise is the Central Delimitation Committee, which is expected to provide a broader framework on how civic services can be improved by bifurcating wards covering larger geographical areas into two separate wards.
Currently, the KMC, which has the legacy of having iconic Indian personalities such as Subhas Chandra Bose, Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das and Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, who also served as the Chief Minister of West Bengal, as its Mayors during the pre-Independence era, has a total of 144 wards.
As per the proposals of the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government, following the delimitation exercise, the total number of wards under the KMC will be increased to 200. The stated objective of increasing the number of wards is to ensure better civic amenities for citizens.
According to the notification issued by the state Municipal Affairs & Urban Development Department, the second committee constituted for the delimitation exercise is the Borough Delimitation Committee, which will determine which wards will fall under the jurisdiction of each borough.
"A few days ago, the Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari attended a KMC function. During the programme, he announced that the KMC elections would be held by November this year, immediately after the festive season beginning with Durga Puja in October. He also announced that the KMC wards would be redrawn before the elections. These two committees have now been constituted for that purpose," an official of the Municipal Affairs & Urban Development Department said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see the government acting quickly on the CM's announcement. KMC elections should be held after Durga Puja as announced. But the real challenge will be ensuring that the increased number of wards doesn't lead to more corruption in local administration. Need to strengthen ward-level accountability.
Interesting move. I've seen similar delimitation in other Indian cities to improve service delivery. Hope Kolkata sets an example. The city has so much history - from Netaji to Deshbandhu - it deserves efficient governance. Looking forward to seeing the new ward map.
While I support the idea of more wards for better services, I hope the government doesn't rush this. Delimitation is a complex process and needs proper public consultation. Also, will the new ward boundaries be drawn purely on population data or administrative convenience? Need clarity.
Tough job ahead for the committees. Kolkata has some very old neighbourhoods with unique challenges. Bifurcating larger wards might help, but need to ensure that smaller wards have enough budget to function effectively. Also hope the Borough Delimitation Committee keeps local feelings in mind.
Let's be honest: KMC has been inefficient for years. More wards might mean more politicians and more scope for corruption unless there's proper oversight. I hope the government focuses on making these new wards truly functional with dedicated officers. The citizens deserve better roads and sanitation.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.