J&K Gets 13 More Municipal Councils, Total Now 19

In a significant decision to strengthen the Urban Local Bodies, the Administrative Council today upgraded 13 Municipal Committees to the Municipal Councils in the Union Territory including seven in Kashmir Valley and six in Jammu region. Population criteria of more than 30,000 were taken into account on the basis of 2011 census to upgrade the Municipal Committees as Municipal Councils. There were only six Municipal Councils in Jammu and Kashmir so far including three each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions including Kathua, Udhampur and Poonch (Jammu) and Anantnag, Baramulla and Sopore (Kashmir).

Seven Municipal Committees which have been upgraded as the Municipal Councils included Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Ganderbal, Budgam, Bandipora and Kupwara, all in Kashmir division and Reasi, Doda, Samba, Kishtwar, Ramban and Rajouri in Jammu division. There are only two Municipal Corporations in the Union Territory including Jammu and Srinagar. In the next elections, the new Municipal Councils will have 17 to 21 Wards as against 7 to 13 in the Municipal Committees.