The Council shall nominate one among the applicants as Area Sabha Representative and the manner of nomination shall be, as prescribed by the State Government.
44. Term of office of Area Sabha Representative - An Area Sabha Representative shall hold office for a period, coterminous with the term of the Council.
45. Area Sabha –
(1) There shall be constituted an Area Sabha for each area determined under section 40, comprising all persons registered as voters of the area.
(2) The Area Sabha shall perform and discharge the following functions and duties, namely:-
(a) to identify eligible persons within the area for beneficiary-oriented schemes on the basis of criteria fixed by the State/Central Governments, and to prepare lists of eligible beneficiaries in an order of priority and forward the same to the municipality;
(b) to verify eligibility of persons getting welfare assistance from the State/Central Governments such as pensions and subsidies;
(c) to suggest location of streetlights, public water taps, community/public sanitation units, and other public amenities within the area;
(d) to identify the deficiencies in the water supply and street lighting arrangements in the area and to suggest remedial measures;
(e) to assist the activities of urban public health centers in the area, especially in disease prevention, family welfare, and immediately report the incidence of epidemics and natural calamities;
(f) to impart awareness on matters of public interest such as cleanliness, preservation of the environment and prevention of pollution;
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(g) to promote harmony and unity among various groups of people in the area;
(h) to arrange cultural festivals, sports meets, etc., to give expression to the talents of the people of the area; and
(i) such other functions and duties as may be assigned to the Area Sabha by the municipality from time to time.
(3) There shall be a meeting of every Area Sabha once in two months, and the business of the meeting shall be conducted in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed in the rules by the Government Other Committees
46. Subject Committee:
(1) A Municipal Corporation or a Class `A’ Municipal Council may, from time to time, constitute Subject Committees consisting of elected councillors to deal with the following matters, namely:
(a) water-supply;
(b) drainage and sewerage;
(c) solid waste management;
(d) urban environment management and land use control;
(e) poverty and slum services;
(f) education and health; and
(g) welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes, and of Women and Children.
(2) Each Subject Committee shall consist of:
(a) seven members in the case of a Subject Committee of a Municipal Corporation, and
(b) five members in the case of a Subject Committee of a Class `A’ of Municipal Council.
(3) The manner of the constitution and transaction of business of a Subject Committee shall be such as may be prescribed.
(4) The term of a Subject Committee shall be two years.
(5) The Chairperson of a Subject Committee shall be elected by its members from amongst themselves in the manner specified by regulations:
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Provided that a member shall not be eligible for election as Chairperson for more than two terms.
(6) Each Subject Committee shall exercise such powers, and perform such functions, as may be specified by regulations.
(7) The recommendations of a Subject Committee shall be submitted to the Standing Committee for its consideration.
47. Ad hoc Committee -
(1) The Standing Committee of a Municipal Corporation or Municipal Council may, from time to time, appoint an Ad hoc Committee to perform such functions, or conduct such enquiries, or undertake such studies including reports thereon, as may be specified by a resolution in this behalf.
(2) Any person, who is not a member but possesses special qualifications useful for the purpose of an Ad hoc Committee, may be associated therewith as its member.
(3) The manner of transaction of business in an Ad hoc Committee shall be such as may be laid down by the Standing Committee.
48. Joint Committee
(1) The State Government may, if it considers necessary so to do, constitute a Joint Committee for more than one municipality, or for one or more municipalities with other local authority or local authorities, for any purpose in which they are jointly interested or for delegating to it any power or function which calls for joint action.
(2) The Joint Committee shall consist of the following members:
(a) two elected members of each constituent municipality and local authority;
(b) one nominee of each of the concerned departments of the State Government or of the concerned statutory authorities under the State Government;
(c) such expert or experts as the State Government may nominate; and
(d) the Director of Municipal Administration or his representative who shall act as the convener of the Joint Committee.
(3) The procedure and transaction of business by a Joint Committee shall be such as may be prescribed.
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49. Zonal Committee
(1) There shall be constituted by the Government, by notification, such number of zonal committees comprising territorial area of such number of wards as may be specified in the notification within Municipal Corporation, and each zonal committee shall consist of not less than five contiguous wards. The powers and functions of the zonal committee shall be such as may be notified by the Government.
(2) Each Zonal Committee shall consist of all the Councillors elected from the wards which are included in a Zonal Committee, and one of the members elected from among themselves in such manner as may be prescribed shall be the Chairperson of the Zonal Committee:
(3) Each Zonal Committee shall have a separate office located within the territorial limits of a Zonal Committee.
(4) The staff for each office of the Zonal Committee shall be in accordance with the norms fixed by the State Government from time to time.
(5) The term of the Zonal Committee and its Chairperson and members shall be co-terminus with the term of the Municipal Corporation.
(6) A Zonal Committee shall, subject to the general supervision and control of the Mayor, discharge, within the local limits of the Zone, the functions of the Municipal Corporation relating to provision of water supply, sewerage and drainage, removal of accumulated water on the streets or public places due to rain or otherwise, collection and removal of solid wastes, disinfection, provision of health, immunization services and bustee services, provision of lighting, repair of minor roads, maintenance of parks, drains and gullies, and such other functions as the Municipal Corporation may, from time to time, determine by regulations.
(7) The officers and employees of the Municipal Corporation who are assigned to a Zone for the discharge of the duties as aforesaid, shall carry out such directions as may be issued by the Zonal Committee in this behalf.
(8) An officer nominated by the Municipal Commissioner shall act as Convener of the Zonal Committee.
(9) The Zonal Committee shall incur such amount as may be allocated by the Municipal Corporation in the municipal budget for maintenance of services referred to in sub-section (6).
(10) The Zonal Committee shall meet at least once in three months or as frequently as is necessary to transact its business.
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50. State Chamber of Municipal Councils
(1) The municipalities in the State after obtaining order of the Government, may join to form an association to be called the State Chamber of Municipal Councils;
(2) The functions of the Chamber formed under sub-section (1) shall be to advise the Government as well as municipalities on the improvement of municipal administration and to perform such other functions as the State Government may, from time to time prescribe.
51. Regulations of State Chamber of Municipal Councils The following matters may be regulated by rules made by the State Government:
(a) the constitution, aims and objects of the Chamber;
(b) the management and control of finances of the Chamber; and
(c) such other matters as notified by the Government.
CHAPTER - 6 Disclosure of Information to the General Public
52. Obligation of municipality with respect to disclosure-
(1) Every municipality shall:
(a) maintain all its records duly catalogued and indexed in a manner and form which facilitates the municipal authority under this Act to disclose the required information at regular intervals to the public,
(b) ensure that all the records that are appropriate to be computerized are within reasonable time, which shall not exceed two months from the date of commencement of this Act, subject to the availability of resources, computerized and connected through a network, so that access to such records is facilitated.
(2) The municipality shall disclose the following information viz.
(a) the particulars of the municipality;
(b) a statement showing constitution of municipal council, committees and other bodies by whatever name called, for purposes of exercising powers and performing functions of the municipality or rendering advice to it,
(c) statement as to whether meetings of municipal council, committees and other bodies are open to the public or not, >kj[k.M xtV ¼vlk/kkj.k½] o`gLifrokj 9 Qjojh] 2012 438
(d) minutes of meetings of municipal council, committees and other bodies;
(e) a directory of its officers and employees;
(f) particulars of officers who are empowered to grant concessions, permits or authorizations for any activity of the municipality,
(g) statutorily audited financial statements, Balance Sheet, Income & Expenditure, Receipts & Payments, and Cash Flow on a quarterly basis, within two months of end of each quarter; and for the full financial year, within two months of the end of the financial year;
(h) the statement showing each of the services being provided by the municipality and levels of each service;
(i) annual budget of municipality including provisions made to each ward, if any;
(j) particulars of all plans; and proposed expenditure on major services and activities together with actual expenditure on major services and activities during the year;
(k) details of subsidy programmes on major services and activities, including the amounts allocated; and criteria for identification of beneficiaries of such programmes;
(l) particulars of Master Plan, City Development Plan or any other plan relating to development of the municipality;
(m) particular of major works specified by the State Government together with information on the costs, starting and completion time and details of executing agency;
(n) details of income generated in the previous year by way of:-
(i) taxes, duties, cess and surcharge, rent from the properties, fees from licenses and permissions,
(ii) share of taxes levied by the State Government and transferred to municipality,
(iii) grants released by the State/Central Governments or any other agency for implementation of the schemes, projects and plans and nature and extent of utilization,
(iv) money raised through donations or contribution from public or non governmental agencies and nature and extent of utilisaton;
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(o) details of taxes, duties, cess and surcharge, rent from the properties, fees from licenses and permissions that remain uncollected and the reasons thereof;
(p) Such other information as may be prescribed.
53. Obligations of Ward Committee regarding Public Disclosure
(1) The Ward Committee shall prepare a quarterly report of the financial transactions of the Ward Committee.
(2) The report of the Ward Committee shall be made available for public scrutiny.