The Himachal Cabinet today decided to upgrade the Solan, Mandi and Palampur municipal councils (MCs) to municipal corporations and create six new nagar panchayats, taking the total number of urban local bodies to 61. The Cabinet decided to conduct the elections to the three new municipal corporations in January next year along the Dharamsala Municipal Corporation.

• The six new nagar panchayats to be created are Kandaghat in Solan district, Amb in Una district, Ani and Nirmand in Kullu district and Chirgaon and Nerwa in Shimla district.
• As a result, the total number of nagar panchayats will rise to 28 and the municipal corporations to five while the number of municipal councils will reduce from 31 to 28.
• The Cabinet also gave nod to the reorganisation of the Ner Chowk and Karsog municipal councils in Mandi district and Jwali nagar panchayat in Kangra district by excluding and including some areas.
• In view of resistance by local villagers to their inclusion in the municipal corporation, the Cabinet decided to exempt land and buildings in newly included areas of these urban local bodies from the payment of general tax for three years and retain customary rights, as provided in Wazib-ul-Urz in the record of rights.
• The Cabinet also decided to restore the ‘Janmanch’ programme after more than eight months from November 8 to ensure speedy redress of public grievances nearer to their homes.
• In a major relief to 221 power projects of 1,060 MW, the Cabinet decided to allow onetime amnesty by redefining zero date for projects, which are under investigation and in the clearance stage where implementation agreements had already been signed, and redefine the scheduled commercial operation date for projects under construction.
• It approved filling of 43 posts of leading fireman and 11 posts of driver-cum-pump operator in newly opened fire posts at Sansarpur Terrace in Kangra district, Bhabanagar and Sangla in Kinnaur district and Patlikuhal in Kullu district.
• It also gave nod to creating and filling of 22 posts of copyist in 22 subordinate courts of the state on a regular basis. Besides, it allowed filling of nine posts of different categories in the State Food Commission and upgrade of the health sub-centre at Tyoda in Kangra district to a primary health centre.

Difference between Municipal Council and Municipal Corporations

Municipal Corporation also known as Mahanagar Palika.
Municipal Council also known as Nagar Palika.
City Council also known as Nagar Panchayat.

Municipal Corporation and Municipal Council, both are for the development of the urban areas. But there are lots of differences between them.

1) Municipal Corporation or Mahanagar Palika is to govern cities with a population of more than 1,000,000 people or 10 lakhs.
    Municipal Councils or Nagar Palika are for towns between 25,000 and 1,000,000 in population.
    City Councils or Nagar Panchayat are for towns with populations between 11,000 and 25,000 people.

2) Municipality or Nagar Palika is run by Chairman and councillers.
    Municipal Corporation or Mahanagar Palika's run by Mayor and Corporators.
    In both case all members are elected by the citizens. Number of members depends on the size of the city.

3) There are about 25 to 30 councillers in the Municipalities.
    Whereas for the same area only 2 to 3 corporators will be there its almost like 1:10 ratio.

4) There is vast difference in jurisdiction. Municipalities have smaller jurisdictionsn
    whereas Corporation or Mahanagar Palikas have very large jurisdiction.

5) Municipal Corporation or Mahanagar Palikais for Metro paliton cities.
    Municipality or Nagar Palika is for small cities.