Bill proposes overhaul of MUDA; curtails influence of lawmakers

Belagavi: Amid the controversy over the allotment of 14 Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) sites to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s family and the distribution of thousands of sites under the 50:50 ratio scheme and other plans, Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh introduced the Mysuru Development Authority Bill during the ongoing Legislature session in Belagavi yesterday.

The Bill aims to separate MUDA from the Urban Development Department, under which it has long operated — as provided by the Karnataka Urban Development Authorities Act of 1987 — with significant control exerted by departmental authorities.

Approved at the Cabinet meeting on Dec. 13, the Bill seeks to overhaul MUDA, modelling it after the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). The Bill is poised to transform the Mysuru Development Authority into a central agency for managing comprehensive development in the region.

It proposes the establishment of a Mysuru Development Authority with minimal representation from lawmakers. Instead, the board will predominantly consist of senior officers.

Presently, all Mysuru MLAs and MLCs are members of the MUDA Board and as per the Bill, there will be only two legislators from the State on the Mysuru Development Authority Board while the rest will be officers. 

The Bill is expected to be taken up for discussion either today or tomorrow as the Winter Session is set to conclude on Dec. 20.

According to the Bill, the proposed Mysuru Development Authority will include a Chairperson, a Commissioner as an ex-officio member, a finance member, an engineer from the Karnataka Engineering Service, a town planner, an architect, and a Deputy Secretary-level officer from the Urban Development Department.

It will also feature two legislators from Karnataka, four members including at least one woman and one from the SC/ST community, along with representatives from the KUWSSB, CESC and KSRTC.