Mangaluru: The Urban Development department has finalised the proposal for the upgrade of Someshwar Gram Panchayat to Town Municipal Council.

The proposal will be placed before the Cabinet for approval shortly and with this, the district will also have its 11th urban local body

The proposal to upgrade to a TMC had reached the Cabinet Secretary office a few months ago but was returned to the Directorate of Municipal Administration. The reason cited was the need to seek permission from the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj H K Patil had approved the proposal to upgrade the Gram Panchayat on December 15.

The Minister for Municipal Administration has finalised the upgrade and submitted it to the Cabinet for approval.

Reacting to the same, a senior officer from Directorate of Municipal Administration told DH, “The draft note is being prepared to present before the Cabinet. Once the Cabinet approves, then the department concerned will be notified to initiate the process for the formation of the TMC.”

In fact, the Someshwar Gram Panchayat had passed a resolution urging the government to upgrade it to TMC in its meeting on September 26, 2014. A detailed recommendation was submitted to the Department of Municipal Administration by Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim in March 2015.

The process to upgrade was initiated in October 2016. The draft note to upgrade was sent for Cabinet approval in the past. However, as the proposal had not received the approval from the Department of Rural Development, the proposal was returned to the Directorate of Municipal Administration.

Normally gram panchayats are upgraded as town panchayats. However, looking at the population and other criteria, it has been decided to upgrade Someshwar Gram Panchayat as a TMC. This will be the third TMC in Dakshina Kannada.

As Someshwar Gram Panchayat is situated beside the NH 66, it has been almost urbanised. The GP owns 20 commercial stalls, there are over 400 commercial properties owned by private individuals and 10 apartments. About 80% of the tax is collected. The revenue collected by the GP is Rs 52.60 lakh.

The district already has 10 urban local bodies – Mangaluru City Corporation, Ullal and Puttur CMCs, Moodbidri and Bantwal TMCs, Mulki, Kotekar, Belthangady, Sullia and Vittal Town Panchayats. In fact, Kotekar and Vittal Gram Panchayats were upgraded as Town Panchayats in May 2015.