Aerial view of Sambalpur city. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, Nov. 24: The city has finally got the much-awaited corporation status.

The state urban development department has issued the notification declaring that a municipal corporation will be there in the city, replacing the municipality.

The municipality has been in suspended animation, pending formation of the council of the new municipal corporation.

Election to the municipal corporation will be held in the near future, said a senior official of the district administration.

The municipal corporation has been carved out with the existing municipality along with Burla notified area council (NAC), Hirakud NAC and villages under 12 gram panchayats located on the periphery of the city.

Earlier this month, Rourkela was accorded corporation status. The state earlier had three municipal corporations — Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Berhampur.

On September 24 last year, the state government announced according corporation status to Sambalpur and Rourkela. However, formal notification for Sambalpur was awaited.

Officials said with the move, the city would now get more central funds under various urban development schemes.

Residents welcomed the decision. Sarat Banji, a local resident said: “Villages, which have been brought under the municipal corporation jurisdiction, were earlier being considered as rural areas. However, now these will be part of the larger urban area.”

Susanta Sahu, a resident of Dhankauda area, said: “Though our locality had been on the outskirt of the city, we were not getting the facilities meant for the urban area. Now, we will be eligible for the benefits.”

However, a few residents are apprehensive that they will have to pay more taxes. “I do not think the inclusion will help develop our locality. We will be forced to pay more taxes,” said Harihar Panda, a resident of Katapali area.

However, Santosh Sahu, a resident of Themra area said: “We cannot ignore development for taxes.”