In line with its decision to decentralise administration, the West Bengal government is in the process of setting up 22 new municipalities in the state.
The state's municipal affairs Minister, Firhad Hakim, said that this would be done to decentralise administration through local bodies and spread development programmes across the state.
The new municipalities will come up at Tehatta, Chanchal, Canning, Falakata, Kakdwip, Belda, Khatra, Gaajol, Buniyadpur, Bally West, Andul, Domzur, Bagnan, Bakshirhat, Thakurnagar, Amta, Kolaghat-Mecheda, Amtala, Domkol, Tarapith and Mollarpur, Hakim said.
In addition to this, discussion is currently going on to set up the 22nd municipality at Moynaguri.
Hakim said that the state government had already approved constitution of four new municipal corporations in the districts of North and South 24-Parganas.
The government also sanctioned inclusion of a few municipalities and adjoining areas into three existing municipal corporations.
A municipal corporation with a mega-city population of at least ten lakh would help the state government get funds from various sources including central schemes for effective local administration.
On May 26, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after a cabinet meeting had referred to the creation of four new municipal corporations.
