Activities of the Ward Development Committee

Activities of the Ward Development Committee

10. The activities of the Ward Development Committee are as follows :

1. (a) Preparation of a Calendar: At the first meeting of the Ward Development Committee for each budget year, the Ward Development Committee shall decide upon specific obligatory agenda for each of the monthly meetings of the Ward Development Committee, remaining in that calendar year, in addition to the specific obligatory agenda for the first meeting of the following budget year. Nothing in sub-section (a) shall prevent:

1. (1) the convenor of a Ward Development Committee from adding additional agenda for any meeting of the Ward Development Committee;
2. (2) any other member of the Ward Development Committee may, at a meeting of the Ward Development Committee, move a resolution to add to the specific obligatory agenda decided upon for the meeting in question or any subsequent meeting.
   • (b) Preparation and compilation of plans: The Ward Development committee shall prepare the Annual Ward Plan and forward the same to the concerned Municipality for its integration with the Annual Municipal Plan.
   • (c) Preparation of Ward budget:
3. (1) A Ward level budget calendar shall be prepared annually in accordance with Schedule appended to this Act. The Ward Development Committee shall ensure that the budget calendar is strictly adhered to and prepare the budget for their Ward six weeks before the Municipal Budget. The Municipality may suggest changes that may be effected into the Ward level Budget after discussion with the Ward Development Committee.
4. (2) The Municipality Budget shall -
   • (i) aggregate all the Ward Budgets which have been prepared in accordance with sub-section (1) of this section;
   • (ii) have additional account heads for specific receipts and expenditures at the Municipality level.
   • (d) Maintenance of Accounts:
5. (1) Constitution of the Ward Finance Committee - A committee of three persons shall be constituted in every Ward as the Ward Finance Committee.
   • (i) The constitution of the Ward Finance Committee shall be through nomination held within one month of the constitution of the Ward Development Committee. The Chairperson shall nominate the Ward Finance Committee members.
   • (ii) The Ward Finance Committee shall also appoint from amongst themselves, one person as the Chairperson, who shall be the authorized signatory for maintenance and use of accounts.
6. (2) Functions and Duties of the Ward Finance Committee -
   • (i) The Ward Finance Committee shall prepare the annual budget for the Ward and place it before the meeting of the Ward Development Committee which will deliberate upon, and approve the budget. The approved Budget shall be presented by the Ward Finance Committee to the Municipality within seven months from the closure of the previous financial year.
   • (ii) The Ward Finance Committee shall also maintain Ward-level bank accounts for all the receipts and expenditure activities of the Ward.
   • (iii) The Ward Finance Committee shall ensure that all fund transfers shall be made out of this account to appropriate account heads of the Municipality.
   • (iv) The Ward Finance Committee shall present accounts every three months at the meeting of the Ward Development Committee.
   • (v) The Ward Finance Committee shall prepare a quarterly report of the financial transactions of the Ward Development Committee, which shall include details of its receipts and expenditures and also its projections and suggestions for the next quarter. This report shall be made available to every member of the Ward Development Committee one week before the date fixed for meeting of the Ward Development Committee for discussion of the report.
   • (vi) The report of the Ward Finance Committee shall be made available for public scrutiny.
   • (e) Supervisory Mechanism:
7. (1) The Municipality shall take up the responsibility of providing administrative and infrastructure support to the Ward Development Committee for its proper functioning.
8. (2) The Ward Development Committee shall create mechanisms for checks and balances over the Government personnel in their Ward. The Ward Development Committee shall have the power to recommend to the competent authority for imposition of penalties in respect of a Government employee for misconduct and negligence of duties.
   • (f) Ward Development: There shall be a Ward information and Statistics Committee which shall be formed for various developmental and planning works. The constitution and functions of the Committee are given below:-
9. (1) Constitution of the Ward Information and Statistics Committee:
   • (i) A committee of three persons shall be constituted in every Ward as the Ward Information and Statistics Committee.
   • (ii) The constitution of the Ward Information and Statistics Committee shall be through nominations by the Chairperson held within one month of the constitution of the Ward Development Committee: Provided that members of the Ward Finance Committee shall not be members of the Ward Information and Statistics Committee: Provided further that the members of the Ward Information and Statistics Committee shall also appoint from amongst themselves, one person as the presiding member who will preside over the meetings of the Ward Information and Statistics Committee.
10. (2) Duties of the Ward Information and Statistics Committee:
    • (i) It shall be the duty of the Ward Information and Statistics Committee to compile, maintain and update annually the following information about the Ward in the format prescribed by the concerned Municipality for this purpose. Such information shall include:
    • (A) Economic Information: including the number and nature of commercial establishments in the Ward and employment data in these establishments;
    • (B) Information relating to Land Use: includes the changes in patterns of land use, data relating public spaces and civic amenity sites, traffic patterns and public transportation hubs and preservation and restoration of environment, natural resources and heritage sites.
    • (C) Infrastructure Index including the extent of infrastructural development, current and pending projects, and the infrastructural requirements of the Ward.
      • (ii) The report prepared in accordance with sub-clause (B) of clause (f)(2) shall be used by the Ward Development Committee in determining and enforcing the Zoning provisions. It shall be made available on a quarterly basis to the meetings of the Ward Development Committee, reflecting changes since the presentation of the previous report.
      • (iii) The report prepared in accordance with sub-clause (C) of clause (f)(2) above shall be used by the Ward Development Committee in allocation of development expenditure by the Ward Finance Committee. It shall be made available on a quarterly basis to the meetings of the Ward Development Committee, reflecting changes since the presentation of the previous report.
      • (iv) Spatial Planning: The Ward Development Committee shall:
    • (A) participate in all development plans of the city;
    • (B) enforce zoning and land use regulations;
    • (C) participate in the creation and enforcement of new instruments like transferable development rights, etc.
    • (g) Comprehensive intervention for urban poor activities: The Ward Development Committee shall be responsible for:
      • (i) integrating all existing activities undertaken by the State Government;
      • (ii) preparing and maintaining beneficiary list for all the programmes and schemes undertaken by the State Government in co-ordination with the relevant Government agencies;
      • (iii) preparing a report on the housing and public distribution system in each Ward.
    • (h) Ensure Universal access for selected public services: The Ward Development Committee shall be responsible in ensuring universal access in selected public services like education, health care, water supply and sanitation.
      • (i) Alternative Options: Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision,
    • (a) The Ward Development Committee shall be responsible for decentralized management of the following functions:
      • (i) primary collection of Solid Waste Management and decentralized management of solid waste;
      • (ii) desilting of drains;
      • (iii) maintenance of street-lights;
      • (iv) maintenance of parks;
      • (v) deweeding of paths;
      • (vi) road works including construction maintenance and restoration thereof; and
      • (vii) general beautification of the locality.
    • (b) the Ward Development Committee shall be specifically empowered to examine various alternative implementation options in the above mentioned areas;
    • (c) the proposal with respect to the alternative implementation option by the local communities shall be submitted to the Ward Development Committee and shall be taken up for discussion at the next meeting of the Ward Development Committee.