The Himachal government yesterday gave nod to upgrade Dharam-sala municipal council to corporation.
The sources here said that with the formation of the municipal corporation many adjoining villages would be included in the urban area. The villages that would be included in Dharamsala Municipal Corporation include Khaniara, Dari, Barol, Sidhbari, Mant panchayat that includes Ram Nagar and Shamnagar areas, Kajlot, Sidhbari and Upper Sakoh.
Interestingly, most of these villages in the recently held general houses had rejected the idea of joining Dharamsala municipal council. Now with government deciding to include these villages in the corporation, in the next elections of local bodies in the state, the panchayats would stand automatically dissolved and areas would go into elections as wards of the Dharamsala municipal corporation.
Dharamsala municipal council presently has a population of just about 22,500. However, with the inclusion of said areas, the population of the corporation would increase to about 55,000.
Minister for Town and Country Planning Sudhir Sharma, who represents the Dharamsala Assembly constituency, said that the inclusion of the adjoining villages was a must for planned development of the country. Under the Smart City scheme the corporation would receive liberal funds from the union government for development. However, the present Dharamsala municipal council did not have the area for development schemes. With the inclusion of the said villages the Dharamsala can be developed into a planned Smart City of Himachal, Minister for Town and Country Planning Sudhir Sharma said.
Reasons for resistance to move from villagers
The residents of the villages that are being included under the Dharamsala municipal corporation feel that they would be burdened with taxes and would be bereft of benefits for rural areas such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act. Villagers feel that they now would have to pay property tax, increased charges for telephones, power and water supply.
The minister, when asked, however, said that the government had taken a decision that taxes would not be levied on villages included in Dharamsala municipal corporation until all the facilities like street lights, sewerage system and adequate water supply was provided to them.
This means that some areas as Ramnagar and Shamnagar that already were enjoying the facilities or urban areas as street lights and sewerage would have to pay urban taxes but no taxes would be livied on other rural areas as Khaniara, Dari, Sidhnari, Barol and Sakoh till urban facilities are provided there.
The minister further said that area of Dharamsala municipal corporation has been increased so that it can be developed as first planned city of the state under the Smart City scheme.
The inclusion of villages would also give scope to develop new planned townships in Dharamsala, municipal corporation.
About the villagers being left bereft of schemes like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act, he said that there were many schemes for development of urban areas also. The government would concentrate on giving free housing facilities to the poor under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
The Department of Town and Country Planning had been organizing meetings in Dharamsala with council people and take their advice on changes that are being proposed under the Smart City scheme.
However, the government’s decision to convert Dharamsala municipal council into second corporation of the state after Shimla has come as a surprise for many.
The challenge now lies with the minister to extend urban facilities to the villages included in Dharamsala corporation.
Liberal funds will be received: Minister
Minister for Town and Country Planning Sudhir Sharma said the inclusion of the adjoining villages was a must for planned development.
Under the Smart City Scheme, the corporation would receive liberal funds from the Union Government for development.
The present Dharamsala Municipal Council did not have the area for development schemes.
With the inclusion of the said villages in the town, Dharamsala can be developed into a planned Smart City of the state, Sudhir Sharma said.
Villagers apprehensive
The residents of the villages that are being included under the Dharamsala municipal corporation feel that they would be burdened with taxes
They will be denied benefits for rural areas such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act.
Villagers feel that they now would have to pay property tax, increased charges for telephones, power and water supply.
The minister, however, said the government had taken a decision that taxes would not be levied on villages included in Dharamsala MC until all the facilities like streetlights, sewerage system and adequate water supply was provided.
The sources here said that with the formation of the municipal corporation many adjoining villages would be included in the urban area. The villages that would be included in Dharamsala Municipal Corporation include Khaniara, Dari, Barol, Sidhbari, Mant panchayat that includes Ram Nagar and Shamnagar areas, Kajlot, Sidhbari and Upper Sakoh.
Interestingly, most of these villages in the recently held general houses had rejected the idea of joining Dharamsala municipal council. Now with government deciding to include these villages in the corporation, in the next elections of local bodies in the state, the panchayats would stand automatically dissolved and areas would go into elections as wards of the Dharamsala municipal corporation.
Dharamsala municipal council presently has a population of just about 22,500. However, with the inclusion of said areas, the population of the corporation would increase to about 55,000.
Minister for Town and Country Planning Sudhir Sharma, who represents the Dharamsala Assembly constituency, said that the inclusion of the adjoining villages was a must for planned development of the country. Under the Smart City scheme the corporation would receive liberal funds from the union government for development. However, the present Dharamsala municipal council did not have the area for development schemes. With the inclusion of the said villages the Dharamsala can be developed into a planned Smart City of Himachal, Minister for Town and Country Planning Sudhir Sharma said.
Reasons for resistance to move from villagers
The residents of the villages that are being included under the Dharamsala municipal corporation feel that they would be burdened with taxes and would be bereft of benefits for rural areas such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act. Villagers feel that they now would have to pay property tax, increased charges for telephones, power and water supply.
The minister, when asked, however, said that the government had taken a decision that taxes would not be levied on villages included in Dharamsala municipal corporation until all the facilities like street lights, sewerage system and adequate water supply was provided to them.
This means that some areas as Ramnagar and Shamnagar that already were enjoying the facilities or urban areas as street lights and sewerage would have to pay urban taxes but no taxes would be livied on other rural areas as Khaniara, Dari, Sidhnari, Barol and Sakoh till urban facilities are provided there.
The minister further said that area of Dharamsala municipal corporation has been increased so that it can be developed as first planned city of the state under the Smart City scheme.
The inclusion of villages would also give scope to develop new planned townships in Dharamsala, municipal corporation.
About the villagers being left bereft of schemes like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act, he said that there were many schemes for development of urban areas also. The government would concentrate on giving free housing facilities to the poor under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
The Department of Town and Country Planning had been organizing meetings in Dharamsala with council people and take their advice on changes that are being proposed under the Smart City scheme.
However, the government’s decision to convert Dharamsala municipal council into second corporation of the state after Shimla has come as a surprise for many.
The challenge now lies with the minister to extend urban facilities to the villages included in Dharamsala corporation.
Liberal funds will be received: Minister
Minister for Town and Country Planning Sudhir Sharma said the inclusion of the adjoining villages was a must for planned development.
Under the Smart City Scheme, the corporation would receive liberal funds from the Union Government for development.
The present Dharamsala Municipal Council did not have the area for development schemes.
With the inclusion of the said villages in the town, Dharamsala can be developed into a planned Smart City of the state, Sudhir Sharma said.
Villagers apprehensive
The residents of the villages that are being included under the Dharamsala municipal corporation feel that they would be burdened with taxes
They will be denied benefits for rural areas such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act.
Villagers feel that they now would have to pay property tax, increased charges for telephones, power and water supply.
The minister, however, said the government had taken a decision that taxes would not be levied on villages included in Dharamsala MC until all the facilities like streetlights, sewerage system and adequate water supply was provided.
