Lok Sabha Question No. 1999 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-31
Subject: Proposal for Urban Administrative Service
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Sudheer Gupta, Shri Manish Jaiswal, Shri Chavan Ravindra Vasantrao

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1999

TO BE ANSWERED ON JULY 31, 2025

## PROPOSAL FOR URBAN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE

NO. 1999.  SHRI MANISH JAISWAL:

SHRI CHAVAN RAVINDRA VASANTRAO:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

Will  the  Minister  of  HOUSING  AND  URBAN  AFFAIRS  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether  the  Union  Government  proposes  to  formulate  or  create Urban  Administrative  Services,  Financial  Services  and  Technical Services Cadre for cities having population of one lakh and above in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Union Government proposes to provide funds/financial assistance  to  the  States  to  recruit  staff  required  to  run  the  said cadre efficiently and improve urban structure;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the time by which it is likely to
- be done;
- (d) whether  the  Union  Government  has  formulated  the  necessary framework for the recruitment of staff for the said cadre and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  number  of  cities  initially  selected  for  this  purpose  by  the Union Government?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS (SHRI TOKHAN SAHU)

(a) to (e):  As per the 12th Schedule of the Constitution of India, matters related  to  urban  governance,  including  administrative,  financial,  and technical functions, are the function of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)/Urban Development Authorities. Government of India supplements the efforts of the States through schematic interventions/ advisories.

The Government of India has implemented the Scheme for Special Assistance  to  States  for  Capital  Investment  Scheme  (SSASCI)-  (Urban Planning  Reforms)  Financial  Year  (FY)  2022-23  to  FY  2024-25  aimed  at leveraging  urban  planning  as  a  key  driver  of  development,  under  which States  were  encouraged  through  Incentive  for  Augmentation  of  Human Resource  for  Strengthening  Urban  Planning  Ecosystem  by  the  State Government

Under SSASCI (Urban Planning Reforms) as reported by the States so far, 1034 vacant posts were filled (Regular/Contractual), 320 new posts were  created  for  Planners  and  13  States  collaborated  with  private experts for specific urban projects.

To  further  encourage  States/UTs  to  strengthen  Urban/Municipal Technical  Cadre  of  the  States/UTs,  the  Government  has  extended  the component under Urban Planning Reforms in SSASCI scheme 2025-26 Governance  Reforms  including  Building  Municipal  Cadres  for  improved Governance which also covers incentives for filling and creation of posts. The Scheme covers incentives for the following reforms: -

- Completion  of  the  recruitment  for  at  least  50%  of  already sanctioned vacant posts of engineers of Public Health, Mechanical,  Civil,  Electrical  in  ULBs  (more  than  One  lakh Population)
- Hiring for Contractual Post to strengthen Technical Municipal Cadres including engineers from disciplines of Public Health, Mechanical, Civil, Electrical and finance specialists
- Creating a Municipal Staff Framework for Small Towns (up to population 1 lakh) including, Municipal Administrative Service: One Executive Officer, Municipal Finance Service: One Financial  Officer,  One  Accountant  and  Municipal  Technical Service: Engineers: 3 Civil, 2 Mechanical, 1 Electrical, 1 Public Health.
- Sanction of posts of Environmental Engineers and Hydrologists

State/UTs  are  required  to  complete  the  reforms  by  15 th   December 2025 to be eligible for incentives under the scheme.

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