Vijayawada: Municipal administration and urban development minister Ponguru Narayana called on Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to prioritise quality civic services and tailor amenities to meet the needs of residents.

He asked the commissioners to prioritise key municipal functions, including revenue enhancement, sanitation, drinking water supply, town planning, and the effective execution of state and Centrally-sponsored schemes.

Narayana made these remarks during a one-day intensive workshop for municipal commissioners held on Thursday at the School of Planning and Architecture in Vijayawada. The event was intended to reorient urban administrators toward critical service delivery benchmarks and operational priorities.

The minister called for strengthening tax collection mechanisms, implement summer water supply action plans, and improve sanitation, lighting, and road infrastructure.

In order to empower ULBs, Narayana announced that the government has decoupled the Comprehensive Financial Management System (CFMS), enabling ULBs to retain and utilise collected taxes for local development. This step, he said, would boost the delivery of essential services. He urged commissioners to ensure high-quality services for residents.

In his opening address, principal secretary of municipal administration and urban development S Suresh Kumar described the workshop as a “mission briefing”, a strategic call to align ULBs with state performance goals. He highlighted the pressing need for enhanced service delivery and encouraged commissioners to foster a collaborative, responsive, and citizen-focused urban governance system.

Kumar also showcased progress in revenue mobilisation, noting that property tax collections for the 2024–25 financial year reached Rs 2,213.61 crore, 49.46 per cent of the total demand. This reflects a 30 per cent increase (Rs 508.26 crore) over the previous year, with 78 per cent of the current demand met, signalling improved financial discipline and efficiency at the ULB level.

He further highlighted a turnaround in eligibility for 15th Finance Commission grants: while only 4 of 123 ULBs qualified last year, 106 now meet the criteria, owing to targeted efforts in revenue growth and governance reforms.

The workshop included detailed presentations from department heads, including TIDCO, MEPMA, and SAC, who shared insights on key performance indicators, ongoing projects, and support systems for ULBs.