It is revealed in an RTI that establishment of ward committees and area sabhas as provisioned in 74th constitutional amendment act in 1992 is not paid heed to by majority of Municipal Corporations.
Through a notification in 2011, State urban development department had mandated all municipal bodies in the state to constitute ward committees and organise area sabhas. As per notification, 9 to 21 citizens could be part of each area sabha to indicate the priority list of development work in the ward.
Ahmedabad Municipal corporation has just four councilors in ward committees. there is no record or minutes of any area sabha held. In Junagadh and Gandhinagar municipal bodies do not seem to have taken any cognizance of the provisions.
As per the provisions of the act as adopted by Gujarat, councilors may be nominated as chairpersons of area sabhas. Each ward can have three area sabhas. Municipal corporation can appoint eminent citizens like retired govt officials, urban planners, architects, literary and social personalities with women members of SC ST communities given adequate representation. The ward committee can prepare it’s annual budget in consultation with area sabhas
The RTI activist Alpesh Bhavsar said the role of citizens goes beyond that as a voter and includes direct deliberative involvement in pressing policy issues.
