Kannur to be made city corporation, 66 new panchayats

Thiruvananthapuram: Months ahead of the civic polls in the state, the Congress-led UDF government today took an in-principle decision to carve out 66 new village panchayats, 28 municipalities and elevate Kannur Municipality as a city corporation.

Briefing reporters on the decision after a cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the proposal would get final approval only after hearing complaints and grievances on the move within the next fortnight.

Kannur will become the sixth city corporation in the state after Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur, and Kozhikode.

Chandy said the decision to create new civic bodies was based on a large number of representations from various places for elevation of the existing local bodies.

While considering these representations, the officials concerned had held consultations and discussions at various levels.