No new dists before 2001 8212; CM

NASHIK, FEBRUARY 7: No new districts or talukas will be created in the State before March 2001, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao D...

NASHIK, FEBRUARY 7: No new districts or talukas will be created in the State before March 2001, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh at a felicitation function at the Manmad city of this district.

Much to the dissappointment of the public who had been hopeful that the CM would declare Malegaon as a district and Manmad a tehsil Deshmukh refrained from saying so. However, he mentioned that work on accumulation of latest census has begun in the State following which new districts and new talukas will be announced in March 2001.

Deshmukh also announced that drinking water shortage would soon be solved as the Government has given it a priority status. Various union workers, freedom fighters, Satvashodhak Students Sangathana and others took this occassion to submit their respective memorandums to the the CM.

Meanwhile, Housing Minister Rohidas Patil and Minister of State for Urban Development Sunil Tatkare have said that the Maharashtra Government would make efforts to increase the tenure of mayors in municipal councils from the present one year and give them more statutory powers.

Speaking after inaugurating a day-long state-level mayors8217; conference here on Sunday, the Ministers assured that they will pursue the matter in the State legislature.

Leader of the Opposition in State Legislative Assembly, Narayan Rane said that personally he was against the idea of increasing the tenure, 8220;but if the matter comes up in the house, we will take a cooperative role,8221; he added.

Rane said the Mayor8217;s post should not be treated as a decorative post and he should have knowledge of people8217;s right. Tatkare said CM Vilasrao Deshmukh had held a meeting of mayors and commissioners of municipal corporations on the matter and set up a committee to examine the proposals.

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Mumbai Mayor and Maharashtra Mayoral Council presiden Thareshwar Patil also spoke on the occasion. Mayors of Amravati, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchvad, Solapur, Kalyan-Dombivali, Nanded-Waghal, Aurangabad, Ulhasnagar and Sangli-Miraj also attended the meet.