Chandigarh: More than half of the current municipal council’s tenure has passed, but the city municipal corporation is yet to constitute any of its 12 sub-committees, including three mandatory panels empowered to take financial and policy-related decisions. The delay has raised questions over the relevance of these statutory committees and led to a centralisation of decision-making within the civic body.This is not the first time the MC has failed to constitute the committees despite repeated demands from councillors. With the panels remaining non-functional, much of the decision-making process has shifted to the finance and contract committee (F&CC), effectively reducing the role originally envisaged for the sub-committees.“Since more than half the year has already passed, it appears unlikely that the committees will be formed in the remaining months. Moreover, with civic elections due this year, councillors may have only two to three months left to actively participate in developmental work before the focus shifts to election-related activities,” sources told TOI.Of the 12 sub-committees, three — the road committee, water supply and sewerage disposal committee, and house tax assessment committee — are mandatory under the Act. Their formation is considered crucial as they deal with development works and policy matters, including issues related to property tax.The road committee and the water supply and sewerage disposal committee are vested with financial powers of up to Rs 25 lakh each and are required to meet at least once every month. However, none of these mandatory committees has been constituted so far.Several other sub-committees also enjoy financial powers and have traditionally played an important role in initiating and approving smaller development works. By clearing routine agenda items and monitoring their execution, these panels help reduce the burden on both the F&CC and the general house.In the absence of the committees, even relatively minor agenda items are now being routed through the F&CC for discussion and approval, increasing the workload of the central decision-making body and limiting the involvement of councillors in specialised areas of civic governance.Mandatory Committees Yet To Be FormedRoad committeeWater supply and sewerage disposal committeeHouse tax assessment committeeOther Pending Sub-CommitteesSanitation committeeEnvironment and city beautification committeeElectricity committeeFire and emergency services committeeApni Mandi and day market committeeWomen empowerment committeeEnforcement committeeSlum colonies and villages development committeeArts, culture and sports committee“With more than half the year gone and elections approaching, it appears unlikely that the committees will be formed this year,” sources said.
