considerable length of time. The matter has been duly examined from different aspects and it has since been decided in consultation with the Local Government and Urban Development Department of this Government that the urban Refugee Colonies should be transferred to the local bodies concerned for maintenance and promotion of civic administration there. As, however, most of the colonies were set up in undeveloped areas and the colony people were suffering for lack of civic amenities, it has been tentatively decided that the first round of development works would be executed out of funds to be provided by this Department by way of providing roads, drains, sanitation and water supply, as per norms and patterns to be approved by this Department subject to availability of funds from the Government of India. Accordingly. some colonies have since been developed, works in some colonies to the urban local bodies for future
maintenance of the assets created by way of development of colonies out of their own resources as well as for assessment and collection of rates and taxes as per normal rules.

2. The undersigned is now directed by order of the Governor to say that the Government has been pleased to direct that all the refugee colonies within the terntonal limits of the local bodies may be made over along with their created assets to the local bodies concerned under the terms and conditions laid down below : —

1. The concerned local bodies will be .wholly responsible for the maintenance and promotion of civic administration in the colonies.
2. They will have the authority to mutate the names of the occupiers of the land holdings to assess their rates and taxes in accordance with law and to collect them for their own resources.
3. Allotment of vacant lands of refugees in colonies will however be the responsibility of the Government in the Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation Department.
4. The local bodies will have the authority to utilise properly all the assets created in the refugee colonies including markets, tanks, parks, play-grounds etc. and for the matter they are even authorised to lease out those assets to other parties in the interest of the colony people and for their proper management. In cases, where any assets/plots have already been leased of by this Department, the same may also be released in favour of the local bodies on expiry of the terms of such leases.
5. The Government in the Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation Department will not bear any further expenditure in the case of developed colonies for their future maintenance which shall be the responsibility of the local bodies.
6. The Government in the Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation Department will also not bear an expenditure towards the maintenance of additional staff etc. if any. as may be appointed by the concerned local bodies for the civic administration of these colonies.

Sd/-R. C. Ganguly
Deputy Secretary