Setu Commission Submits Report to CM to Empower Urban Local Bodies in Uttarakhand

The Setu Commission submitted a detailed, analysis-based report to Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami at the Secretariat on Wednesday, outlining recommendations to strengthen municipal bodies in Uttarakhand. Setu Commission Vice Chairman Shri Raj Shekhar Joshi handed over the report and explained that its primary objective is to make municipal corporations and urban local bodies self-reliant and empowered, thereby improving urban development and addressing the challenges faced by cities across the state.

Key recommendations include granting financial autonomy to local bodies and enhancing their revenue‐generation capacity. The report proposes transferring eighteen functions—such as water supply, public health, and urban planning—listed in the Twelfth Schedule of the Indian Constitution directly to municipal authorities. To facilitate technological innovation, it urges the adoption of smart governance practices, GIS mapping, and data‐driven decision‐making.

The commission has also advocated organizing training programs for both municipal employees and elected representatives to build institutional capacity. The report presents detailed case studies of similar reforms successfully implemented in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and other states, and suggests tailoring these models to suit Uttarakhand’s unique requirements. Additionally, it emphasizes prioritizing public input when planning disaster‐resilient infrastructure and landslide‐management strategies.

Present at the submission ceremony were Cabinet Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat, Chief Secretary Shri Anand Bardhan, Setu Commission CEO Shri Shatrughan Singh, Urban Development Secretary Shri Nitesh Jha, Ms. Radhika Jha, Shri Chandresh Yadav, and Setu Commission members Dr. Bhavana Shinde, Dr. Priya Bhardwaj, Shri Ankit Kumar, and Shri Shahzad Ahmad Malik.