Chhapra Municipality. Telegraph picture

Chhapra, March 9: The state government has agreed “in principle” to accord the municipal corporation status to Chhapra Municipality.

Salim Parvez, a member of state legislative council, said: “I had raised the issue at the council meeting and urban development minister Prem Kumar agreed ‘in principle’.”

The demand for according the status of municipal corporation to the local municipality is not new.

“The town meets all the criteria to get the status of a municipal corporation,” Kumar said.

He said: “Chhapra has been the headquarters of Saran division for the past 30 years.”

Kumar added: “The urban development minister informed me that no change in the legal status of municipality was possible till the completion of census work but the matter would certainly be looked into once this work is complete.”

The demand for granting the status of municipal corporation to the existing municipality has not been made for the first time. A proposal of similar nature was sent to the state government by former district magistrate of Saran in March, 2010.