The role of development authorities in cities is under review - especially their accountability and autonomy is being looked at at the central level for the first time. The special thing is that the responsibility of the working group reviewing the functioning of development authorities has been given to Uttar Pradesh, where there are the most cases of confusion of responsibility of development authorities with municipal corporations.

In the sequence of urban reforms, this working group can take a big decision regarding development authorities. According to sources, many suggestions have come up in the first round of meeting, the main one among them is a clear system to bring the functioning of development authorities under the purview of municipal corporations. For this, the powers of municipal corporations will have to be increased.

One suggestion is to form regional development authorities in big cities, which will do integrated planning by combining four or five nearby cities. The members of the working groups have almost unanimously accepted that most of the problems arise due to the lack of a clear and transparent system of rights and responsibilities. Citing examples from across the country, the members said that even basic work like maintenance of roads in cities is not being done due to this ambiguity.

Conflict-like situation between development authorities

Experts have also given another suggestion to create two separate authorities for planning and development in cities. At present, the main work of development authorities is urban planning and bringing new schemes, but they do not give up their interference. Due to this, there is a situation of conflict between municipal corporations and development authorities regarding facilities and maintenance even in many old areas.

Gartala Municipal Commissioner Shailesh Yadav was also included in the working group

The convener of the working group constituted to review the functioning of development authorities is Uttar Pradesh's Principal Secretary (Urban Development) Amrit Abhijeet. Apart from him, Kerala's Principal Secretary Sharmila Mary Joseph and Dharamshala's Municipal Commissioner Zafar Iqbal in Himachal Pradesh and Agartala's Municipal Commissioner Shailesh Yadav in Tripura have also been included in the working group. Apart from these, Muzaffarnagar's Municipal Commissioner Vikram Virkar has also been given a place.

As experts, National Highway Logistics Management Ltd. CEO Prakash Gaur and former Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh Sameer Sharma are in the working group. This working group will submit its report in three months. It is expected to prepare a standard SOP for the functioning of institutions like development authorities.

There should not be division of rights and powers

The central government believes that there should be a clear division of powers between state governments, urban local bodies and development authorities, only then the condition of cities can improve. Not only should there be a division of rights and powers between them, but it is also necessary to have a standard set of rules for working together. Under this, development authorities will have to make plans for cities as well as help the bodies in their implementation.