Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Wednesday said municipal bodies like corporations have to be further empowered for planned and sustainable development of urban areas.
"All urban areas in the state, including Guwahati, face a number of civic problems. With a view to mitigate the problems, my government is working to empower and activate the functioning of the municipal corporations and councils," Gogoi said.
Speaking at a programme organised by the urban development department here, he said municipalities should focus on improving revenue generation and also make the process of tax collection more transparent.
"Only with increase in revenue generation it would be possible to provide better civic facilities. At the same time, the civic bodies should also involve the public more and more in its activities and in formulation and implementation of projects," Gogoi said, adding, common people should also be more pro-active.
He said his government had in the past decade taken a number of steps for planned development of urban areas with a view to provide amenities to citizens.
The Chief Minister called upon the urban bodies to take an interest in the issue and said unplanned development of cities and towns would cause great harm to everybody.
Among the main priorities is use of latest technology on hygiene issue in urban areas, besides water harvesting and recycling and use of solar energy projects in such pockets.
PTI
