Assembly passes bill empowering state govt to appoint HMC

The West Bengal Assembly Tuesday passed an amendment bill to empower the state government to appoint an administrator of the Howrah Municipal Corporation.

The Assembly passed the Howrah Municipal Corporation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2018 which empowers the government to appoint an administrator in case of election of the HMC not held within the statutory time limit.

The term of the present board of the Howrah Municipal Corporation will end next month.

If for any reason, it is not possible to hold the general election of the Corporation before expiry of the period of five years, the Board of Councillors shall stand dissolved on the expiration of the said period.

Speaking about the Bill, moved by him, state's Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said that if an administrator has to be appointed, he would continue to this post for at least six months.

The bill would facilitate to open bank account of Municipal fund into any scheduled bank within or outside the Corporation area.

It would also extend the benefit of exemption of property tax to the senior citizen, the minister said.

The Bill would also help in the selection of personnel by the West Bengal Municipal Service Commission, he said.

Simultaneously, The West Bengal Municipal Corporation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2018, was also passed in the state Assembly Tuesday to extend many such benefits in other Municipal Corporations in the state.