AMC turns Corporation, 10 new municipal councils start functioning

The Agartala Municipal Council, northeast India's oldest municipal body, on the day of 42nd Tripura statehood day on January 21 2014 turned into a corporation.

On the 42nd statehood day the up-gradation of Agartala Municipal Council into a municipal corporation took effect while 10 Nagar Panchayats including Dharmanagar, Kailasahar, Ambassa, Khowai, Teliamura, Mohanpur, Bishalgarh, Melaghar, Udaipur and Belonia in the sub-divisional towns were promoted as municipal councils.

Official sources said that on the occasion of the statehood day on Tuesday, these urban local bodies have been upgraded, including newer areas to give better services to the people of the state.

On the 42nd statehood day, two new Nagar Panchayats Panisagar and Jirania have also started functioning.

With the up gradation of municipal councils, nagar panchayats, now Tripura have 10 municipal councils, nine nagar panchayats and one municipal corporation.

It may be recalled here that the under the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act, 1971, Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya became full-fledged states on Jan 21, 1972.

With a population of around five lakh, the Agartala Municipal Corporation would look after the urban areas of 76 sq km.

Agartala is the second largest city in northeast India after Guwahati in Assam.

The Agartala Municipality was constituted in 1871 during the reign of erstwhile king, Maharaja Chandra Manikya (1862-96). 

The first British Political Agent, A.W.B. Power was appointed for princely ruled Tripura in 1871 and become the chairman of the Agartala Municipality.

Tripura merged with the Indian Union Oct 15, 1949.

The state’s Urban Development department sources added that Dr Prafullajit Sinha and Samar Chakraborty, the incumbent chairman and vice-chairman of the Agartala Municipal Council (AMC), would be the first Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Agartala Municipal Corporation, respectively.