Plan to decentralise GMC

MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONER Shivkant Ojha is working on a plan to divide the city in four zones and establish zonal municipal corporation offices for monitoring sanitation work.

MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONER Shivkant Ojha is working on a plan to divide the city in four zones and establish zonal municipal corporation offices for monitoring sanitation work.

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The objective is to increase the efficiency of the Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation.

He said decentralisation of the corporation would also ease traffic pressure in the main market and the residents of outer wards would deposit their house tax in zonal offices.

Talking to Hindustan Times, Ojha said providing residents with services at their doorstep would improve the image of officials. It would also bridge the gap between officials and the common man, he added.

The city, with a population of eight lakh, should have regional offices for ensuring basic amenities, he said. Ojha said officials had no knowledge of the conditions in narrow lanes and outer wards which adversely affected the repair of pipelines, drinking water supply, taxation and collection of revenue.
According to the plan, a deputy municipal commissioner will be deployed in these zonal offices. However, a dearth of officials in the corporation may adversely affect this plan.

At present, there is only one deputy municipal commissioner and one assistant municipal commissioner.

To begin with, these two officials will be deployed in two zonal offices.  The main municipal commissioner’s office will function like a control room and records will be kept here.

Sources said residents would have to go to their zonal offices for redress of grievances. Corporation officials are finalising the list of wards and localities to be attached to respective zonal offices. 

Initially, deputy municipal commissioner and assistant municipal commissioner KS Awasthi and Gopi Krishna Srivastav will be in charge of the two zones.
Employees will be sent to the zonal offices.