Aizawl, June 8: Mizoram’s reluctance in decentralising power has once again forced it to bend rules as it prepares to implement the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

While the mission envisages renovation of cities through municipalities, the scheme would be carried out through the local administration department (LAD) because the state has yet to decentralise power through the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments. These amendments call for panchayati raj systems in rural areas and municipalities in towns and cities.

The state has roped in the Gurgaon-based Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS) to draw up plans to renovate Aizawl at a cost of Rs 19 lakh. Officials of WAPCOS have visited the state and conducted a preliminary study on the project’s viability in the city.

A source said WAPCOS officials were disappointed to find that the state had no plans for the city’s development and that the company would have to work from scratch to prepare a viable plan.

LAD director B. Darkhuma said the state would not break rules and guidelines in implementing the mission through his department. “In terms of the state not having municipalities, cities in the Northeast have been exempted for a certain period of time by the Centre. As a result, implementation of the mission by the LAD would not amount to breaking rules and guidelines,” Darkhuma said.

The state government has signed an agreement with WAPCOS to draw up a plan to develop Aizawl in two months. The state government will use its own funds for the purpose. This would later be reimbursed from the funds given through the mission.

Mizoram Municipal Steering Committee, an organisation pressuring the government to set up a municipality for Aizawl, has recently voiced objections to the scheme being implemented by the LAD. However, the state government has said it was helpless since there is a need to expedite drawing up of plans.

It added that there was no time to set up a municipality.

Vanlalruata, general secretary of MMSC, today brushed aside the government’s excuse and said if it really wanted to have municipalities, the government could have done so four years back when the Municipality Bill had been drafted for the first time.

“There is no political will to have municipalities in the state and the excuse made by the government that there is no time to set up municipalities is total hogwash. The first Mizo National Front (MNF) government had drafted a Municipality Bill in 2002 which is yet to be tabled.

Darkhuma said at present the bill was back with the LAD for minor alterations. “The bill is now with us again. We will forward it to the law department again after corrections are made as wanted by them,” he said.