LEGAL FRAMEWORK

Ø Under this law the elected council has all executive and financial powers in comparision with the Zillsa Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, and Gram Panchayat, where executive functions and responsibilities rest largely with the officials, under the OMA, the entire responsibility rests with the elected people.

Ø Following the amendment of the Constitution, the power of supercession of Municipal Councils has been done away with in the OMA.

Ø The State Government is pursuing as series of amendments to the Act so that the powers of the State Government relating to conduct of elections are transferred to the constitutional body, the State Election Commission.

Ø The earlier practice of the State Government approving the Holding Tax rates is being dispensed with. This will result in decentralization of decision making, restore the legitimate rights of ULBs, and make available an elastic source of revenue to them.

The Urban Land (ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976 of Government of India came into force in the state of Orissa w.e.f 17.02.1976 and was applicable to only Cuttack Urban Agglomeration as the population of the said agglomeration was more than one lakh at that time.

Consequent upon repeal of the aforesaid principal Act by Govt. of India vide their Gazette No.201 dt.22.03.1999 (copy enclosed) as Annexure - A, the Government of Orissa have adopted the said repeal Act vide Notification No.14995/HUD, dt.26.04.02 (copy enclosed at Annexure – B) to the state of Orissa w.e.f. the date of its publication in the official Gazette.

LEGAL FRAMEWORK
ORISSA MUNICIPAL ACT
The Orissa Municipal Act, 1950 (OMA) governs all types of urban local bodies. Some of the salient features of the Act are :
Ø Under this law the elected council has all executive and financial powers in comparision with the Zillsa Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, and Gram Panchayat, where executive functions and responsibilities rest largely with the officials, under the OMA, the entire responsibility rests with the elected people.
Ø Following the amendment of the Constitution, the power of supercession of Municipal Councils has been done away with in the OMA.
Ø The State Government is pursuing as series of amendments to the Act so that the powers of the State Government relating to conduct of elections are transferred to the constitutional body, the State Election Commission.
Ø The earlier practice of the State Government approving the Holding Tax rates is being dispensed with. This will result in decentralization of decision making, restore the legitimate rights of ULBs, and make available an elastic source of revenue to them.

Town Planning Act
The Salient features are :-
a)	Extension of the Orissa Town Planning Act over the identified areas.
b)	Conducting detail physical and socio-economic surveys, analyzing the data collected, drawing conclusion, assessing the gaps and forecasting the future requirements.
c)	Preparing the draft master plan.
d)	Constitution of Planning Authorities. There can be three types of Planning Authorities, namely the local body having jurisdiction over the area or an Improvement Trust or a Special Planning Authority.
e)	Publication of the draft master plans by the Planning Authority, inviting objections and suggestions from the public.
f)	Finalization of the master plans by the Directorate of Town Planning in the light of the suggestions received.
g)	Approval of the master plan by the Competent Authority.
h)	Enforcement of the provisions of the master plan and zoning regulations by the Planning Authority by way of issuing permissions for constructions of buildings.
i)	Implementation of the provisions of the master plan by the Planning Authority by way of execution of a series of schemes and projects.

Orissa Development Authorities Act,1982
The Salient features are :-
a)	Extension of the provisions of the Act over the identified area and declaring such area as a development area.
b)	Constitution of Development Authority.
c)	Preparation of interim, comprehensive and zonal development plans.
d)	Publication of development plans for inviting objections and suggestions.
e)	Finalizing the development plan in the light of objections and suggestions.
f)	Approval of the development plan by the State Government.
g)	Enforcement of the provisions of the development plan, zoning regulations and planning and building standards by the Development Authorities by way of issuing permissions for construction of buildings.
h)	Preparation of development schemes and its implementation.
i)	Preparation of town planning scheme (Land Pooling Scheme) and its implementation.

URBAN LAND (CEILING AND REGULATION) REPEAL ACT, 1999
The Salient features are> :-
The Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Repeal Act, 1999 has been adopted in the State.
The Urban Land (ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976 of Government of India came into force in the state of Orissa w.e.f 17.02.1976 and was applicable to only Cuttack Urban Agglomeration as the population of the said agglomeration was more than one lakh at that time.
Consequent upon repeal of the aforesaid principal Act by Govt. of India vide their Gazette No.201 dt.22.03.1999 (copy enclosed) as Annexure - A, the Government of Orissa have adopted the said repeal Act vide Notification No.14995/HUD, dt.26.04.02 (copy enclosed at Annexure – B) to the state of Orissa w.e.f. the date of its publication in the official Gazette.