Gujarat govt to convert seven local bodies into municipal corporations

Gandhinagar, Feb 2 (PTI) The Gujarat government on Friday announced that seven local bodies will be converted into municipal corporations, taking the total number of such civic bodies in the state to 15.

While presenting the budget for FY 2024-25 in the state assembly here, state Finance minister Kanubhai Desai said the municipalities of Navsari, Gandhidham, Morbi, Vapi, Anand, Mehsana and Surendranagar-Wadhwan will now be converted into municipal corporations.

Nearly 50 per cent of Gujarat’s population lives in cities, and it is estimated that the ratio of urban dwellings in the state may go up to 75 per cent by 2047, he said.

“Cities are also the centres of economic development, and our government is committed to providing ease of living through a planned development of cities. For effective urban management, we have decided to award the status of municipal corporation to seven existing municipalities. The decision will boost development and provide more amenities to city-dwellers,” Desai said.

Notably, Gujarat currently has eight municipal corporations, namely Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Junagadh and Gandhinagar.

The Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation was the last to be formed by the state government in 2010.

Municipal corporations get more funds from the state and Centre under various schemes to develop amenities and public infrastructure, such as public transport.