Former Deputy Mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) Tikender Singh Panwar has been nominated as an expert by Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in a group constituted by the Central government for the formation of a Model Municipal Act aimed at strengthening democratic governance and improving urban administration across the nation.
Panwar and Sanjay Chauhan were the first directly elected Deputy Mayor and Mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation.
The other members of group are Principal Secretary for Urban Development from the Government of Maharashtra, experts from the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) Bangalore and few retired bureaucrats with extensive urban governance experience
This working group has been entrusted with the task of examining and addressing various challenges faced by municipalities and urban local bodies in India. The terms of reference for the working group outline a broad scope, focusing on enhancing the democratic and administrative framework of municipal governance.
One of the primary objectives of forming the group is to redefine the role and responsibilities of Mayors, with emphasis on empowering them as key elected representatives with executive powers. It will also redefine the responsibilities of municipal councilors and make their role more robust in Municipal Corporations.
The group will also explore the model of direct elections of Mayors and Deputy Mayors to Municipal Corporations.
