Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh today announced that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has approved a grant of ₹47.37 crore for setting up Municipal Shared Service Centres (MSSCs) in Himachal Pradesh. The funding, he said, is a result of the persistent efforts of the state government to strengthen urban governance and enhance service delivery across towns.
The Minister informed that 15 MSSCs will be set up to support 74 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the state under the 15th Finance Commission recommendations. These centres aim to address challenges such as manpower shortages, limited financial resources, and lack of technical support in urban administration.
The MSSCs will function as single-window service centres, providing residents access to key municipal services—birth and death certificates, trade licenses, pet registrations, property tax payments, garbage collection bills, and grievance redressal—in a citizen-friendly and transparent manner. Their model will be akin to that of Passport Seva Kendras.
“These centres will also manage centralized services like accounting, payroll, and vendor payments for ULBs,” Singh said. For smaller towns, MSSCs will extend doorstep services to facilitate tax and bill collection, promoting both efficiency and accessibility.
The ₹47.37 crore grant will be disbursed in two phases—50% upon sanction and the remaining upon operationalization. Singh confirmed that the first installment of ₹23.68 crore has already been released, marking a significant step toward the initiative’s rollout.
To ensure grassroots-level outreach, the Minister stated that Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) will be engaged in the implementation process. They will support ward-level service delivery, raise awareness, and enhance citizen participation in urban governance.
Singh emphasized that the initiative reflects the state’s commitment to building participatory, efficient, and sustainable urban systems, aligned with the vision of “Swachh Shehar, Samridh Shehar.”
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
