In perhaps a first for a local self-government body in Kerala, the Thiruvananthapuram city Corporation will be setting up a planning cell on the lines of the State Planning Board for better formulation of projects across various sectors.
Currently, there is a planning wing only for projects under the People's Plan, while there is a project secretariat that chalks out plans exclusively for the health wing. A proposal regarding the planning cell is expected to come up for the Corporation council's approval at the next meeting.
The major aims of the planning cell would include data collection, documentation and planning. According to Corporation officials, documentation is an area in which the civic body is lagging behind, due to which there are no points of reference at times regarding various city-related data or information on past projects, especially if the officials who handled the same are no longer in service.
The research and development wing as part of the cell would collect various kinds of information regarding the city, the projects being implemented here as well as projects elsewhere that could be replicated here. They will make projections, for instance, on the need for specific kinds of projects in particular areas in the future.
The extensive documentation on the city would be maintained in such a way as to make it accessible to everyone. The planning cell would also work closely with NGOs, various agencies, and universities and look at opportunities for using their expertise for the civic body's projects. The planning cell will look at land use, asset management, project formulation, cost-benefit analysis of projects, revenue mobilisation, e-governance, and all other aspects related to the civic body.
The Corporation envisages the planning cell in such a way that no new appointments need to be made. Employees from various sections will be deployed to the cell. The project secretariat that formulates the projects for the health wing is proposed to be merged with the planning cell. In addition, five to 10 interns will be hired with an apprenticeship honorarium. These young professionals will look at various areas including urban management, sanitary engineering, and environmental engineering.
