HP Chief Minister speaking at the Vidhan Sabha session.

Shimla: Paving the way for the creation of Municipal Corporations in Mandi, Solan and Palampur, the HP Vidhan Sabha passed the Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj tabled the Bill in the Vidhan Sabha, proposes to reduce the population criteria for upgrading a Municipal Council to a Corporation from the present 50,000 to 40,000.

The state government recently proposed to create two MC Mandi and Solan and after facing political pressure from former CM Shanta Kumar and other leaders from Palampur region, government also proposed to make Palampur MC as well. However, to create Mandi, Solan and Palampur as Municipal Corporations the population criteria was not being met and the move to include the adjoining panchayats. The Govt also tried to include nearby are into the MC area, which was vehemently opposed by residents.

However, with Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2020, now the government will be able to create Municipal Corporations in Mandi, Solan and Palampur.