Hyderabad: Amidst objections from the Opposition, Andhra Pradesh assembly tonight passed a bill providing for constitution of planning committees in every metropolitan area to draft development plans. Piloted by Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K Ranga Rao, the bill seeks to replace AP Metropolitan Planning Committee ordinance issued last month.

The opposition members belonging to TDP, CPI, CPI(M), TRS and MIM raised objections over the composition of the proposed planning committees, saying they would become rehabilitation centres for the ruling party leaders.As per the legislation, the chairpersons, vice-chairpersons and other non-elected members of the committees will be appointed by the government.

The MPs and MLAs of the respective areas will be permanent special invitees to the meetings of the committees. Opposing this clause, the opposition members said it would lead to a situation where all the planning committees would be filled up with ruling party nominees, reducing the spirit of decentralization to a farce.

Source : PTI