UP Government Empowers Urban Local Bodies To Approve Projects Upto ₹2 Crore, Sparking Oversight Concerns

The Uttar Pradesh government has amended the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for urban local bodies, granting nagar panchayats and nagar palikas greater autonomy to independently execute development projects. The new guidelines, issued by the Urban Development Department, now allow nagar panchayats to undertake works worth up to ₹1 crore and nagar palikas up to ₹2 crore, up from the previous ₹40 lakh ceiling.

While the move is being positioned as a step toward decentralization and local empowerment, critics point out that increased autonomy without robust checks could lead to mismanagement, especially in smaller towns lacking technical expertise.

The revised SOP introduces a shared accountability system for construction-related irregularities: 50% of the financial liability will be borne by contractors and the remaining 50% by engineers and officials involved. The recovery process will be overseen by the District Magistrate and could invoke land revenue recovery provisions. Modern construction methods like Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) are being promoted for roads wider than 3.75 meters. Interlocking tiles can now be used on smaller roads under strict quality certification. Drainage systems will be aligned with Public Works Department (PWD) and Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards KC drains for narrow roads and U-type RCC drains for wider ones. Urban local bodies have also been instructed to maintain ward-wise road directories and conduct GIS mapping to support long-term infrastructure planning.

However, questions remain on whether these smaller bodies have the capacity to execute and monitor such technical and financial responsibilities without external oversight.

Despite the reforms, the absence of a strong auditing mechanism could undercut the stated goals of transparency and improved service delivery.