(1) The Corporation may constitute as many ad hoc committees consisting of such number of councillors and for such terms as it thinks fit for the exercise of any power or discharge of any function which the Corporation may by resolution delegate to them or for inquiring into, reporting or advising upon any manner which the Corporation may refer to them.
(2) An ad hoc committee may with the sanction of the Corporation co-opt not more than three persons who are not members of the Corporation but who in the opinion of the Corporation possess special qualifications for serving on such committee.
(3) The Corporation shall constitute a Water Supply and Sewerage Disposal Committee, a Buildings and Roads Committee, a House Tax Assessment Committee and such other committees as may be prescribed consisting of such number of councillors and for the exercise of such powers or discharge of such functions as may be prescribed.
(4) There shall also be a Finance and Contracts Committee of the Corporation comprising the Mayor, the two Deputy Mayors, two councillors elected by the councillors from amongst themselves and the Commissioners, and the aforesaid Committee shall exercise all the powers of the Corporation in relation to contracts to be entered into for and on its behalf and the purchases so be made by it.
(5) Each committee shall elect one of its members as the Chairman and another member as the Vice-Chairman:
Provided that the Mayor shall be the ex-officio Chairman of the Finance and Cotracts Committee.
(6) Any matter relating to committees not expressly provided in this Act may be provided by regulations made in this behalf.
1[42-A. Constitution, Power and Functions of the Wards, Committees and other Committees.-(1) In respect of a Corporation having population of three lakhs or more, there shall be constituted by the Commissioner by order in writing such number of wards committees as may be determined by him:
30 Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, Section 41
1. Substituted 42-A, 42-B and 42-C, added by Act 12 of 1994.
Provided that a Wards Committee shall consist of not less than five wards.
(2) In constituting Wards Committees, the Commissioner shall maintain geographical contiguity as far as possible.
(3) Each Wards Committee shall consist of,-
(i) the Councillors elected from the Wards for which the Wards Committee is constituted;
(ii) the Commissioner of the Corporation who shall be the ex officio member;
and
(iii) any other officers of the Corporation as the Commissioner may nominate to be ex officio members and one of the officers so nominated shall be the Secretary of the Wards Committee:
Provided that the number of ex officio members, appointed to a Wards Committee shall not be more than half the strength of the elected members of the Wards Committee:
Provided further that the ex officio members shall have the right to participate in the meetings of the Wards Committee but shall not have the right to vote.
(4) The Chairperson of the Wards Committee shall be elected by the elected Councillors from amongst themselves.
42-B. Constitution of District Planning Committees.-(1) There shall be constituted in every district, a District Planning Committee to consolidate the plans prepared by the Corporation in the District and to prepare a Draft Development Plan for the district as a whole.
(2) The manner in which the seats in the District Planning Committee constituted under sub-section (1) shall be filled, the functions which may be assigned to such Committee and the manner in which the Chairperson of such Committee shall be chosen, shall be as prescribed by the Government, subject, however, to the provisions of Article 243-ZD of the Constitution of India.
(3) In preparing the draft development plan of the district, the District Planning Committee shall have regard to,-
(i) the matters of common interest between the Panchayats and Municipalities in the district including spatial planning, sharing of water and other physical and natural resources, the integrated development of infrastructure and environment conservation; and
(ii) the extent and type of available resources whether financial or otherwise.
(4) While preparing the draft development plan of the district, the District Planning Committee shall consult such institutions and organisations as the Government may, by order, specify.
(5) The Chairperson of every District Planning Committee shall forward the draft development plan as recommended by such Committee to the Government.
42-C. Constitution of a Metropolitan Planning Committees.-(1) There shall be constituted in every Metropolitan Area, a Metropolitan Planning Committee to prepare a draft development plan of the Metropolitan Area as a whole.
(2) The manner in which the seats in such Committee are to be filled, the func- Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, Section 42 31 tions which may be assigned to such Committee and the manner in which the Chairperson of such Committee is to be chosen, shall be as the Government may prescribe, subject, however, to the provisions of Article 243 ZE of the Constitution of India.
(3) In preparing the draft development plan of a Metropolitan Area, the Metropolitan Planning Committee shall have regard to,-
(i) the plans prepared by the Municipalities, Panchayats and Corporations, as the case may be, falling within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Area;
(ii) the matters of common interest between the Corporations, Municipalities, Panchayats including co-ordinated spatial planning of the area, sharing of water and other physical and natural resources, the integrated development of infrastructural and environmental conservation;
(iii) the overall objectives and priorities set forth by the Government of India and the State Government; and
(iv) the extent and nature of investments likely to be made in the Metropolitan Area by agencies of the Government of India and of the State Government and other available resources whether financial or otherwise.
(4) While preparing the draft development plan of the Metropolitan area, the Metropolitan Planning Commitee shall consult such institutions and organisations as the Government may, by order, specify.
(5) The Chairperson of every Metropolitan Planning Committee shall forward the draft development plan, as recommended by the Commitee to the Government."
CHAPTER III Functions of the Corporation Section 43