Gandhinagar, Dec 16 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will distribute cheques worth Rs 2,800 crore in Ahmedabad on December 17, 2025, at 3:00 PM, aimed at the holistic development of the State’s Municipal Corporations and Municipalities.

Guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 2025 is being celebrated as the Urban Development Year under the leadership of the Chief Minister.

The Rs 2,800 crore grant-in-aid is expected to provide fresh momentum to urban development initiatives across the State.

The event will be held at the AUDA Auditorium, Shela, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

It will be attended by Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi, Urban Development Minister Kanubhai Desai, Minister of State for Urban Development Darshna Vaghela, along with office-bearers of Municipal Corporations and Municipalities. Gujarat’s Municipal Corporations and Municipalities form the backbone of the State’s urban governance framework, responsible for planning, service delivery and infrastructure development across cities and towns.

Municipal Corporations administer major urban centres such as Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot, handling complex responsibilities including urban planning, public health, water supply, sanitation, solid waste management, roads, public transport, fire services and e-governance.

Municipalities, on the other hand, govern smaller towns and emerging urban areas, focusing on essential civic amenities, local infrastructure, housing, street lighting, drainage and community services.

Together, these urban local bodies play a critical role in implementing state and central government schemes, driving economic activity, improving quality of life, and translating policy decisions into on-ground outcomes.

Through financial devolution, performance-linked grants and technology-driven monitoring, Gujarat’s municipal institutions are increasingly being positioned as engines of inclusive, sustainable and citizen-centric urban growth.

Municipal Corporations and Municipalities are important because they form the backbone of urban governance in Gujarat, directly impacting the daily lives of citizens.

These local bodies are responsible for delivering essential civic services such as water supply, sanitation, solid waste management, roads, street lighting, public transport, health services, urban housing and local infrastructure.

They also play a crucial role in planned urban growth by implementing development projects, managing town planning, supporting economic activity, and ensuring compliance with environmental and safety norms.

As Gujarat continues to urbanise rapidly, strong and well-funded municipal institutions are vital for improving the quality of life, ensuring inclusive development, addressing urban challenges like congestion and pollution, and translating state and central government welfare schemes into visible outcomes at the ground level.

--IANS

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