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A brief profile of Guntakal municipality is being presented in this chapter for

it facilitates in understanding consummately, the subject of our present study,i.e.

Guntakal Municipality

Physical Features

Guntakal Town is located at 15’ 10’ North Latitude and 77-23’ East Longitude

at an altitude of about 1400’ MSL. It is about 83 Kms away from Anantapuramu city,

the district headquarters of Anantapuramu District. This is one of the major towns in

Anantapuramu district. It is an important railway junction in Rayalaseema region,

where trains crises crossing from different parts of South India pass through this town

it is located on the Chennai-Mumbai broad gauge line. Many important trains pass

through Guntakal junction to places like Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Cochin,

Trivandrum, Kanyakumari etc. Many goods trains pass through this station carrying

iron ore up to the sea coasts every day. It is also located on the Nellore-Bellary-

Mumbai National Highway (No.63) allowing large amount of commercial vehicular

traffic. Commercial towns like Adoni of Kurnool district and Bellary of Karnataka

State are not away from away from Guntakal, located about 60 Kms, from it. The

Tungabhadra High Level canal passes through this town and serves as major drinking

water source to the town.

Area and Demography

Guntakal municipality has an extent of 40.87 sq.kms comprising of Guntakal

and Thimmanacherla revenue villages. The town had a population of only 12519

persons in 1921. As per 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011 census report the

population of the town was 66,320, 84,248; 1, 07,592; 1, 18,403 and 1, 26,479

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(provisional). The town has a consistent growth throughout the period (1921-2011).

The two decades ending in 1951 and 1961 were the periods of accelerated growth and

the progress made in these two decades were respectively 50.53% and 53.42%.

However the growth rates got slowed down in the later decades ending 1971, 1981,

1991, 2001. The growth rate during 1961-71 was around 38%, during 1971-81 was

around 27%, during 1981-91 was around 27.0% and during 1991-2011 was only

around 9.O%.The literacy rate of the town was 656 in 1971 and 701 was in

1991,2001and2011.The density of population works out to 12 persons per acre.

Municipal History

The Municipality was constituted with effect from 01.04.1948 vide

G.O.Ms.No.866 L.A dated 04.03.1948 comprising of Thimmanacherla and Guntakal.

It was upgraded to Grade-I Municipality as per G.O.Rt.No.293 dated: 28.04.1980.

Economic Base of the Town

Guntakal is the major town for the region, consisting of western portion of

Gooty Mandal and Uravakonda Mandal of Anantapuramu District and Pattikonda and

Alur Mandals of Kurnool Districts Much of the soil in this region is made up of black

cotton variety being a continuous stretch of the same variety of soil of Bellary. The

landscape of the region is mostly plain with very few forests or hills. The region is a

predominantly agricultural in nature. The important crops grown in this region are

mostly rain fed like Jowar, Bajra, Cotton and Groundnut. The only major source of

irrigation in this region is the Tungabhadra project High Level branch canal, which

passes through Gooty and Uravakonda Mandal. The other sources of irrigation are

limited to a fewer Mandals in the entire region. The sub-soil water level is very deep

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and hence chances of tapping sweet water springs in the black cotton soil areas are

slender. Drought is a common phenomenon in Anantapuramu District and Guntakal

being part of Anantapuramu District is no exception the drought conditions and

famines have shown a cyclical trend for the last few decades and there is only one

good and normal crop once in every three years.

The region has a good network of both roads and rail communication

facilities. The Mumbai, Chennai broad gauge railway line traverses through this

region from north-west to east. The Dronachalam-Bangalore broad gauge line passes

through the middle of this region from North to South. The Nellore-Mumbai State

Highway also traverses through the Middle of this region almost running parallel to

the broad gauge railway line. There are several other P.W.D roads in the region

connecting Guntakal town to the neighbouring taluk headquarters. Buses of the

Andhra Pradesh state road transport corporation ply to all important places from

Guntakal town.

Climate and Rainfall

The town has a pleasant climate except in the months of April and May, when

the town experiences high temperatures due to summer. It cools down as soon as the

South-West monsoon breaks out in the month of June. The south-west monsoon

withdraws by the end of September. The North-East monsoon sets in about the middle

of October and tapers off by December. During this period too, Guntakal receives

intermittent showers. The winter month of December, January and February are dry

and cold but not unbearably cold like the chilly winters of North India.

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The geographical position of Anantapuramu district in the middle of the

peninsula renders it the driest part of the state as it happens to fall in the rain shadow

region. Monsoon also evades this part due to its unfortunate situation. Being far away

from the east coast, it does not enjoy the full benefit of the North-East monsoon and

being cut off by the High Western ghats, the South-West monsoon is also prevented

from penetrating and quenching the thirst of this parched soil. It is therefore generally

observed that the District is deprived of both the monsoons. The average annual

rainfall in the town is about 500 mms (20”). The third of the annual rainfall is

received during the south-west monsoon period (June-September months). About a

quarter of the annual rainfall is received during the North-East monsoon period

(October-December months). The number of rainfall days in the year is 33. The mean

daily maximum temperature in the hottest months of April and May rises to 38oC. The

mean daily minimum temperature in the cooler months of December and January falls

to 17oC.

1

The humidity is generally high, ranging between 50 and 75 per cent during

both the monsoon seasons. The driest part of the year is the summer season when the

humidity in the afternoon is about 25 per cent or less. Wind velocity is maximum at

19 Kms/Hr during the months of June and July while is minimum at 7 Kms/Hr in the

month of October.

Role of the Town

Guntakal is the divisional headquarters of the South-Central Railway. It is the

headquarters of a railway division with its jurisdiction extending up to Hindupur on

the Bangalore line, Donakonda on the Guntur, Renigunta on the Chennai and Hospet

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on the Bellary lines. Situated in the North-West corner of the Anantapuramu District,

it has become an important junction of the South Central Railway with lines radiating

to Mumbai, Secunderabad, Guntur, Chennai, Bangalore and Bellary. It handles over

one-fifth of the total passenger traffic by rail and is also the rail head for over two-

thirds of the goods traffic.

It is a first grade municipality constituted in the year 1948. Other important

offices located in the town include, Executive Engineer, P.W.D, Assistant Divisional

Engineer (Electricity) Board, Endowment Executive Office, Commercial Tax Officer,

Development office of the Life Insurance Corporation of India, Central Assistant

Intelligence Officer, Central Storage Superintendent, Assistant Engineer, Co-axial

Cable Project, head Post Office, Labour Enforcement Officer, Secretary of the

Agricultural Market Committee besides the Divisional Superintendent of the South

Central Railway, Guntakal Division. The State Road Transport Corporation has

constructed a bus stand with a bus depot. There are 26 primary schools, 3 upper

primary schools, 6 High Schools, 2 Degree Colleges and 3 Industrial Technical

Training Institutes. There is a Government Hospital and a Railway Hospital with total

bed strength of 250.

It has acquired industrial and commercial prominence with the advent of

railways. Industrial Estate and severe several other ginning, decorticating and oil mills

have contributed to its industrial growth.

It has godown facilities for marketing commodities like Groundnut, Jaggery

and Onions. The godowns of Food Corporation of India are also located here. It is

also the distributing centre for food grains, dhal, petroleum and its products, sugar etc

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for the surrounding districts of Rayalaseema including Anantapuramu district. It has

also godowns maintained by the Andhra Pradesh State Warehousing Corporation for

the use of producers and traders. The iron ore mined in the Bellary District is being

transshipped from this junction. The iron collections and export activities pursued by

the Mineral and Metal Trading Corporation are expected to improve the trade of the

town. It is also a prominent film distribution centre for Rayalaseema with 28

prominent film distribution centres and State Bank of India, Andhra Bank, Canara

Bank, Syndicate Bank, Vijaya Bank and Central Co-operative Bank, State Bank of

Hyderabad and Anantha Grameena Bank functioning in the town.

It has a weekly market (Sandy) on Sunday, more than a lakh of people

congregate in the town on a Sandy day to transact business in a variety of

commodities produced in the surrounding region. It has also an annual fair (periodical

market held once a year) associated with the religious festival viz., Sri Masthan Vali

Urs which lasts about two weeks when the transactions are carried on in almost all

communities required locally.

An important pilgrim centre in this region is Sri Kasapuram Nettikanti

Anjaneya Swamy Temple which is about 5 Km away from the town. It attracts quite a

good number of pilgrims throughout the year. A car festival of Sri Anjaneya Swamy

will be celebrated during the month of March-April, every year and more than a lakh

of people congregate in and around the town. The town has also acquired some

religious importance as it happens to be the headquarters of Sree Jagadguru

Panditheradhya, the head of the Lingayat Section.

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Master Plan: (General Town Planning Scheme)

A Master plan has been sanctioned to Guntakal Town vide G.O.Ms.No.684,

H.M.A, & U.D. (1) M.A dated 26.12.1986.

Land Use

The land use survey of the town conducted during 2010-11 has given the

following classification of various land uses.

S.No. Land Use Area in acres % to area

1 Residential 607 6.0

2 Commercial 38 0.4

3 Industrial 95 0.9

4 Recreational 32 0.3

5 Public and Semi-Public 127 1.3

6 Transport & Communication 532 5.3

7 Vacant lands 261 2.6

8 Agricultural Lands 8236 81.60

9 Hills 57 0.50

10 Water Sources 112 1.10

Total 10,097 acres or

15.77 sq.miles

100.0

A major chunk of the land in the Municipal limits of the town is still under

agricultural use. The developed area in the town accounts to only 40% of the total

area.2

II. PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Water Supply

The drinking water for this town is being supplied through 3 different main

head water works as follows:

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(a) Thimmapuram Head Water Works

(b) Bandrakalva Head Water Works

(c) GBC Canal as source (SS Tank)

Thimmapuram Head Water Works

This is the oldest scheme with an open well functioning since 1958, which was

designed for 30,000 populations. Practically, the well is not giving water due to

depletion of water table. Therefore, the Municipality has drilled 6½ diameter bore

wells at different places surrounding the above head water works and filled with

submersible pump sets and collecting water into suction well cum pump house. From

this source, 3.50 lakh gallons of water is being drawn daily and during summer supply

falls down to less than 50% and the source is also not found to be reliable for all

times.

Bandrakalva Head Water Works

There is another source at Bandrakalva taken up in 1988 with 6½” dia bores (7

Nos.) along the Bandrakalva course by the side of Gooty-Guntakal road filled with

submersible pump sets and collecting water into suction well cum pump house., From

the above source, 4.50 lakh gallons of water is being drawn daily and during summer

the water supply falls down to less than 50% .Further, the water contains high fluoride

content which is to be avoided for drinking purpose and is also not found to be

reliable for all times.

The above two sources are not found to be reliable as they depend upon the

monsoons and availability of ground water and their function in summer is uncertain.

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GBC Canal as source (SS Tank)

For augmentation of water supply in Guntakal Municipality, a comprehensive

water supply scheme with GBC as source (SS tank) was already taken up at a cost of

Rs.77.55 lakhs and completed in 1934. The same has been handed over to the

Municipality in June 1996 and it is being maintained by the Guntakal Municipality.

From the above scheme, 4.83 MLD of water is being supplying to the town.

The above scheme was designed and was sufficient for a population of 65,000.

Further, under 10th

Finance Commission grants 450 KL ELSR MRO office is

constructed and laid 250 mm dia AC 10 pumping main from sump at Municipal

Commissioner Residence to 450 KL ELSR at MRO office to a length of 2600 mfs to

extend the supply to the areas of Valmikinagar, Satyanarayanapeta etc.

Details of existing source of water supply and quantity of water supply to the

Guntakal Town are as follows

Thimmapuram Head Water Works : 3.50 lakh gallons / day

Bandrakalva Head Water Works : 4.50 lakh gallons / day

Through SS Tank : 10.60 lakh gallons / day

Total : 18.60 lakh gallons / day

(Or) 8.45 MLD

The present assured supply of 4.83 MLD serves the present population at

36.80 LPCD which is far less than the required rate of supply. Hence, there is a dire

necessity for proposals for a comprehensive water supply scheme which caters to the

needs of the residents of the town. Proposals have also been submitted to the

government for construction of additional SS Tank with all necessary equipment.3

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Water Supply

The main sources of water are GBC High Level Canal with 4.38 Mld. The

other sources that are presently used are Thimmapuram Head Water Works and

Bandrakalva Water Works. The water from these sources is not suitable because of

high fluoride content. To meet the water demand, proposals have been submitted to

the government for construction of additional SS Tank with all necessary equipment

and construction or ELSR at Benchkottala and Modinabad areas. Maintenance of

summer storage tank is privatized.

Storm Water and Sewerage

There is no underground drainage system. The drainage system is not planned

properly. Most of the drainage is let out to G.B.Canal and fields near Railway Bridge.

Many areas are not covered with drains due to lack of drainage system .Water flows

onto the roads in rainy season and cause damage to the roads. There is an urgent need

to improve drainage to dispose of storm water.

Solid Water Management

The entire garbage of town is transported and deposited at the compost yard

with an extent of AC 4.0 of land near SS Tank at Alur road which is 4.0 kms away

from the town. There is no proper solid waste management for recycling the waste.

Hence, land alienation proposals has been submitted to the District Collector for

alienation of Government land at an extent of 37.0 acres as per norms issued by the

(APPCB) Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Hyderabad at Donamukkala road.

Solid Waste collection has been privatized for part of the town and will be extended

for other areas in a phased manner.

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At present, two municipal tractors are transporting 8 trips of garbage per day,

two leased tractors are transporting 12 trips of garbage per day and one tractor

pertaining to private contractor is lifting garbage three trips per day. The total lifting

of garbage is 38.0 metric tons per day against 40.0 tonnes of garbage generated. It is

necessary to improve both collection and disposal of municipal solid waste.

Social Infrastructure

There are 25 primary and upper primary schools, 6 High Schools and 1

Central High School and 3 Industrial Technical Training Institutes, S.K.P.Govt Arts

and Science Degree College, SSJS Junior and SSJS Degree College, ACS Mills

Junior College.

Health and Medical Facilities

The Health and Medical Institutions in the town include two Hospitals

(Railway Hospital with about 140 beds and a Government Hospital with only 100

beds), One Railway Dispensary, 1 Municipal Ayurvedic Dispensary, One ESI

Dispensary and Municipal Maternity and Child Welfare Centre besides 22 other

dispensaries, clinics and 7 nursing homes run by the private practitioners. The

Railway Hospital is meant to attend to the needs of railway employees and the

Government Hospital is having meager bed strength of 100 beds.

Shelter Housing

There were 23,112 residential households in the town as per 2011 census.

There are 37 notified slums with EWS with population of 52,650.

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Economic Infrastructure

Guntakal Town is a commercial centre as it is surrounded by a good number

of villages. The economic base of the town and its role and functions in relation to

the economy of the region are briefly discussed.

Trade and Commerce

Guntakal Town is a commercial centre as good number of villages surrounds

it. There are two public sector oil distribution centers in Guntakal namely; I.O.C &

H.P.C. Guntakal is a centre for Film Distribution Business for Rayalaseema (ceded)

region. The godowns of the Food Corporation of India and also the godowns of the

State Warehousing Corporation are located here for marketing commodities like

Groundnut, Jaggery, Coriander and Onions. There is also a district market committee

at the place. Guntakal is also a notified regulated market area for agricultural produce

like groundnut, cotton, jaggery etc of the surrounding region. There is agricultural

market yard for the town. The State Bank of India, Andhra Bank, Canara Bank,

Syndicate Bank, Vijaya Bank, State Bank of Hyderabad and District Central Co-

operative Bank and Anantha Grameena Bank has their branches here. It is also a

prominent film distribution centre for Rayalaseema and as many as 28 film

distribution companies are located here.

A weekly sandy is held every Sunday where agricultural produce, handloom

cloth, vegetables etc are marketed both wholesale and retail and about a lakh of

people congregate in the town to transact business. A periodical market is also being

held once a year, which lasts about two weeks where the transactions are carried in all

most all commodities required locally. There is Municipal market with about 156

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shops including shed dealing in commodities like vegetables, meat, fish food grains

and fire wood. The other shops in the town dealing in various commodities account to

about 2200.

There are about 98 industrial units which include mostly flour mills ginning,

decorticating and oil mills, saw mills, printing works and engineering works. There is

an Industrial Estate (Assisted) established in 1976, located about 5 kms from the

town. There are about 39 plots of which 25 units such as chicory, tube lights, chowks,

cables, plastic pots, aata, granite polishing stone crushing units and a big godown of

Hindusthan Lever Limited were established. Adequate supply of water is proving to

be a formidable problem for the growth of industries.

Circulation Infrastructure

Guntakal Town is well covered with road network. 5 major district roads like

(i) Guntakal-Pattikonda road, (ii) Guntakal-Adoni road, (iii) Guntakal-Bellary road,

(iv) Guntakal-Uravakonda road, (v) Guntakal-Gooty road, (vi) Guntakal-Pamidi road

are connected with the entire important town in the district and its hinderland villages.

Within the town, the traffic congestion is common on Kasapuram Road,

M.G.Road, D.M.M.Gate Road and Potti Sreeramulu Road.

Infrastructure

The town is well served by rail and road communication facilities. The

Chennai-Mumbai broad gauge railway line traverses across the town from east to west

and in the extreme west it turns towards north. The Kurnool-Bangalore broad gauge

railway line runs across the town from north to south. The Guntakal railway station is

located in the western part of the town. The broad gauge line to Hubli goes towards

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east from the station. The alignment of these numerous railway road communication,

six district roads radiate from the town in different directions. Alur road takes off in

the north-west side, Bellary road and Uravakonda roads in the south-west side, Pamidi

road towards south, Gooty road towards east and Kasapuram road towards north. The

M.G.Road is the important internal road which passes through the core area and

connects the district roads on the north and south directions. By virtue of its location,

both the local and regional traffic is constrained to pass along this road. Added to the

narrowness of this road, there is also considerable pedestrian traffic along the entire

length of the road as numerous commercial establishments are located on either side

of the road. There is a need to widen this road and also to segregate the regional

traffic from the local traffic by providing alternative accesses to both the the traffic.

There is only a single bridge (near railway stadium) on the Chennai-Mumbai broad

gauge line. This is the only linkage for the entire population living in the railway

colonies located to the north of the broad gauge railway track to come down the town

as numerous work centers are located south of the broad gauge railway line. The

existing bridge is of single carriage width which is required to be improved to

accommodate the increasing volume of traffic There is a level crossing on the Tirupati

Broad gauge line, called Dharmavaram Gate which is being closed very frequently

obstructing the free flow of traffic on the busy road, a good number of times over a

considerable period in a day .A bridge is required to be provided in the place of the

existing level crossing. The Master Plan also envisages an outer ring road of 100 feet

width around the town linking the Industrial Estate in the East. Another important

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proposal is the laying of new roads covering the newly developed areas like Vasavi

Solvents, S.K.P.Government College.

Poverty Profile

Because of its location in drought prone area, the intensity of poverty is more

in Guntakal town. The intensity of poverty is further aggravated by the closure of

industrial units like A.C.S.Mills. As a result, many people lost their jobs, increasing

the pressure on employment.

The major factor that causes unemployment is low rainfall year after year. The

income from farmlands is meager, forcing migration of agricultural labour to

Guntakal to eke out their livelihood. They depend upon petty labour work in town, to

make both the ends meet. Recurrent monsoon failure is aggravating the poverty.

Most of the town dwellers fall under the category of low income group and are

dependent on various vocational professions. The income they get from these jobs

does not meet their needs. Moreover, they are all dependent on daily wages. Most of

the SC, ST communities of the town are illiterates and they believe in superstitious

and age-old dogmas which result in backwardness despite government encouragement

and financial assistance.

The closer of small-scale industries due to financial setbacks deteriorated the

living conditions of the urban poor. Acute potable water problem is another side of

the picture. Due to migration from villages, the built up area of the municipality is

ever increasing which in turn causes a handicap to the Municipal Administration to

provide sufficient water supply and to meet the other civic needs the growing

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population. Despite herculean efforts of the municipality to provide safe drinking

water, the public unmindfully wastes the water.

The existing drainage system in the town is very unscientific because it was

not properly planned during the Gram Panchayat period. Due to lack of proper

drainage and drainage disposal, particularly in poor settlements, the plight of the

inhabitants of poor settlements has become deplorable. During rainy season, the

situation further worsens becoming further aggravated and grim.

Poor electrification of streets is another feature of the colonies belonging to

the weaker sections. Due to paucity of funds, the Municipality is unable to provide

provision of street lighting and proper maintenance.

HISTORICAL PLACES

Kasapuram: The temple of Nettikanti Anjaneyaswamy, which came into being in

Kasapuram village, 5 km away from Guntakal, is famous amongst the holy places in

Rayalaseema and has five-century old history behind it. It is said to have been built by

Vyasarayulu is 15th

century A.D. Developmental programmes and amenities for

devotees are being taken up in a big way with the donations received from devotees.

Konakondla

It is ancient Jain pilgrimage center-located at 6 km South of Guntakal Railway

Station. The Jambu Deepachakra a relic of Jain culture and jewel in the crown of

Anantapuramu district is carved on a large rock here but it remained undiscovered for

a long time. Sri R.V.Chakravarthi, who worked as a headmaster there in 1966,

recognised the wheel (chakram) as Jambu Deepachakram for the first time and it

attained international publicity.

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Traffic and Transportation

For the safety of the public and transportation of goods the municipality has

shown interest to the maximum. Roads have been widened for safe traffic movement.

Still, efforts are being made in the areas where narrow roads and bye-lanes are there

in the town. For garbage cleaning, the municipality has adopted a new policy and it

has made arrangements for garbage collection twice in a week.

Environmental Issues

The drainage system in the town is unscientific. The sewage water disposal to

the far off places has become a major problem for the municipality. The disposal of

waste water is allowed into outskirt areas. The municipality is making efforts for safe

drainage. Further, the groundwater, which is pumped to the municipal area, has a high

proportion of fluoride content. This causes various body ailments. To overcome this

problem, the municipality has proposed to start de-fluoridation plant. Due to lack of

financial resources, the proposal is not yet taken up.

Urban Poor

There are 48 poor settlements with a population of 52,650 which constitute 50

per cent of the total population of the town as per 2011 census. Out of the 48 poor

settlements 37 are notified. The villagers come to the town and live for providing

education to their children and they become permanent settlers subsequently. Due to

severe famine during the last few years, the low income group people from the

villages came and settled in the town for livelihood. They constitute major urban

poor. As such, the population of urban poor is increasing year by year. To meet the

civic amenities and services like shelter, water supply, drainage, health, education,

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and livelihood have become major concern of the municipality. This further agonises

the municipal governance to meet the requirements of the urban poor due to

insufficient revenue of the municipality. The unemployed youth ratio is also relatively

high as there are no great industrial resources for employment particularly for the

educated.4

Municipal Structure in Guntakal

An analysis of the administrative structure, organizational set up in the field of

Public Administration in general and Municipal Administration in particular is a very

complex process. Generally, the issues and problems confronted in the setting up of

these two are formidable. Although the need and the policy to set up an organization

may receive adequate attention but it is unfortunate that the spelling out of details of

its administrative structure and organizational set up are generally done in haste.

The municipal administrative system in Andhra Pradesh in general and

Guntakal town in particular is acclaimed to be one of the earliest in Anantapuramu

district and with a noble objective of providing municipal services to the people in

Guntakal. The Government of Andhra Pradesh has provided an organization structure

headed by the Director, and followed by the Regional Directors of Municipalities

under whose supervision and control there are municipalities of all grades including

the Guntakal municipality as shown below:

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An indispensable ingredient in the process of the management of

municipalities relates to planning for organizational structure of municipalities. After

the general and specific objectives and necessary plans to carry them out are

formulated by the policy making body, the next phase in management process is

framing of the organizational structure below the policy making body in order to get

the objectives realized and the plans accomplished. A clear understanding of

objectives and plans of an organization enables structuring, functioning and

performance of an organization.

Municipal Authorities

The municipal authorities charged with carrying out the various provisions of

the Andhra Pradesh Municipalities Act, 1965 in respect of Guntakal Municipality

comprise the administrative structure.

Commissioner and Director of Municipalities

(Regional level)

Regional Directors - 6

(Local level)

Municipalities

Grade- I

Grade II

Grade III

Special Grade

Grade-I: Guntakal Municipality

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The administrative structure of Guntakal Municipality as per Sec.4 of Andhra

Pradesh Municipalities Act, 1965 consists of the Municipal Authorities.

(i) a Council;

(ii) a Chairperson;

(iii) a Commissioner; and

(iv) The Ward Committee.

(a) Council:

The Municipal Council is the people’s assembly and makes laws. The history

of the Municipal Council of Guntakal reveals that the strength of the Municipal

Council and the methods of composition underwent many changes and finally stood at

this stage. Section 5 of the Andhra Pradesh Municipalities Act states “there shall be

constituted for each municipality a body of members” to be called the Municipality:

The Municipal Council consists of the following categories of members.

(a) Elected members

(b) Every member of Legislative Assembly of the State belonging to Guntakal

assembly segment.

(c) Every member of House of People of Guntakal parliamentary segment.

(d) Co-opted members by the Municipality from among the persons having special

knowledge and experience in Municipal Administration.

(e) One person belonging to minorities to be co-opted from among the persons who

are registered voters in the Municipality.

An analysis of the present composition of Guntakal Municipal Council reveals

that as per the provisions of Act, it possesses all elected co-opted and ex-officio

members including the Chairperson, there are 43 persons in the Municipal Council.

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Ex-officio Members

When the Municipal Councils were constituted after the adoption of the Act in

1965, there was no provision for the category of ex-officio members though there was

a provision for Alderman. In 1971, when the Act was amended, the post of Alderman

was abolished. Instead, the M.L.As and M.L.Cs (representing the constituencies of

which the municipality forms part) were made as ex-officio councilors. Again in

1981, the Member of House of the People representing the constituency of which the

municipality forms a part was made as an ex-officio member. In 1994, the Rajya

Sabha Member who was registered as an elector within the Municipality was also

made as ex-officio member with voting rights.

The basic objective in making Members of Legislative Assembly or Lok

Sabha or Rajya Sabha as ex-officio Members is to ensure that their counsel and

guidance in available to the municipality and the members are also made to keep in

touch with the affairs of the municipality. However, the inclusion of ex-officio

members provided considerable sway over the Municipal Administration by the

Government. The elected member of Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly however has

to undertake the oath as ex-officio member, though this ritual of oath taking is only

discretionary and not mandatory.

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Municipal Chairperson and Council

Commissioner

Engineer-1

Executive Engineer (M.E)

T.P.O. Sanitary Supervisor Manager

Engineer – 1 D.E.E.

A.E. 1 A.E. 2

Sr.Asst Jr.Asst

L.S. P.W.M.

Non-P.H.Workers

T.P.S.

T.P.T.E. T.P.B.O

(1)

T.P.B.O.

(3)

T.P.B.O.

(2)

Jr.Assistant

Attender T.P.Chairmen (4)

S.I.(1) S.I.(2) S.I.(3) S.I.(4)

Sr.Assistant R.Assistant

Maistry’s (8)

P.H.Workers (135)

Acct A.Sec C.Sec D.Sec

J.Asst

(4)

R.Ls (2)

J.S. (3)

B.Cs )10)

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116

Chairman

The office of the Chairperson for each Municipal Council in the State is

envisaged by the Andhra Pradesh Municipalities Act of 1965. The Guntakal

Municipal Council is headed by a Chairperson, an elected non-official. The

Chairperson occupies the key position in any Municipality. He is the head of the

municipality. The term ‘Chairman’ has been substituted by the term ‘Chairperson’

by the Andhra Pradesh Municipalities (Amendment) Act of 1994. The office of the

Chairperson in Guntakal Municipality is of considerable importance because the

Chairperson’s powers, functions, position, prestige and the role he has to play in the

power game at the Municipality level all made this post very crucial one. The

importance of this post was either upgraded or downgraded in accordance with

policy shifts of the higher level government. At the initial stage, i.e., in the latter half

of the 19th

century, the chairman acted as the presiding officer of the Municipal

Council. In 1920s, he was made the Chief Executive Authority of the municipal

government and emerged as a powerful functionary. But in 1933, his powers were

reduced and the executive authority was transferred to the government official

namely the Commissioner. In the post-independence era, again he regained back

much of his powers, though the Commissioner continued to exercise executive

powers subject to the avowed policy of the government to give council and elected

functionaries higher role to play in municipal government.

According to amended Act of Andhra Pradesh Municipalities Act 1994, the

Chairperson is elected directly by the voters of the Municipality from among

themselves in the manner prescribed by the Act. He must have attained the age of

twenty one years. There is no restriction for the Ex-officio members contesting for

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the post of the Chairperson. In the event of MLA, or MPs who are ex-officio

members getting elected as Chairperson, he should cease to be member of State

Legislature or Parliament within 15 days. From 1981 onwards, 15 per cent, 6 per

cent, 9 per cent and 21 per cent of the total number of chairman posts were reserved

for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Women and Backward Castes by rotation

respectively in the State. As per the Andhra Pradesh Municipalities (Reservation of

offices of chairpersons in Municipal Council), Rules 1995, the State Government

declares the offices of chairpersons of Municipal councils to be reserved in the State

for Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and Backward Classes and women on

rotation basis taking into consideration the largest percentage of population of the

said category. The elections of the Chairperson may be held ordinarily at the same

time and in the same place as the ordinary members of the municipality. The Council

is empowered to pass a vote of no-confidence against the Chairperson and he shall

cease to hold office, if it is passed with simple majority. The Chairperson is assisted

by Vice-Chairperson who is indirectly elected by the members among themselves.

The Chairperson by virtue of his office of being a member of municipality shall have

all the rights and privileges of an elected member of municipality and he shall be

entitled to vote at all meetings of the council. He presides over the meetings of the

Municipal Council and possesses general control over all the affairs of the

municipality.

Powers and Functions of the Chairperson

One of the important developments in the recent years has been that the

Chairperson has emerged as a very powerful functionary. He enjoys legislative,

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administrative, financial and emergency powers. The powers of Chairpersons are as

follows:

1. The Chairman shall:

(a) Make arrangements for the election of the Vice-Chairperson.

(b) Convene the meetings of the Council and of the Executive Committee.

(c) Refer any resolution of the Council for its consideration which in his

opinion is in excess of the powers of the Council or inconsistent with any

law.

(d) All official correspondence between the council and the governments or the

Heads of departments has to be conducted in the name of the Chairperson.

(e) He may incur in each case contingent expenditure incidental to the

Municipal Administration and report the expenditure so incurred and the

reasons thereof to the council at its next meeting.

(f) The Chairperson may in case of emergency direct the execution of any work

or the doing of any act which ordinarily require the sanction of the council

the doing of which in his opinion is necessary for public safety.

(g) Every meeting of the Council and executive committee shall be presided

over by the Chairperson and in his absence by the Vice-Chairperson.

The Chairperson shall preserve order and shall decide all points of order

arising at or in connection with meetings. When the conduct of a member of the

Council or a member of the Executive Committee is, in the opinion of the

Chairperson disorderly he may direct that such a member shall withdraw from there

arise a grave disorder in any meeting.

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Powers of the Members

Any member may call the attention of the Chairperson to any neglect in the

execution of municipal work, or any action resulting in wastage to any municipal

property or to the needs of any locality and may suggest any improvements which

may appear desirable. Every member has the right to move resolutions, have the

access during office hours to the records of the Municipality, after giving a

reasonable notice to the Chairperson.

Vice-Chairperson

The Andhra Pradesh Municipalities Act, 1965 as well as amended Act of

1994 provides for the post of Vice-Chairperson, next to the Chairperson. The Vice-

Chairperson holds the office of the Chairperson in the absence of the former and

performs the functions of the Chairperson until a new Chairperson is elected. Every

Council shall elect one of its elected members to be its Vice-Chairperson within

fifteen days from the date of the election of the Chairperson. The Chairperson by an

order in writing may delegate any of his functions to the Vice-Chairperson.

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References

1. Annual Report of Guntakal Municipality, 2010-11.

2. Annual Report of Guntakal Municipality, 2011- 2012.

3. Guntakal Municipality Information, Someswara Printing Press, Vijayawada,

2012.

4. Annual Report of Guntakal Municipality, 2012-2013.