The Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department has effected an en masse transfer of town planning officials across Tamil Nadu as part of efforts to curb corruption.

It aims at helping officials adapt to policy and administrative changes introduced recently by the State government, a senior official said.

On June 5, several city and urban planners were transferred across corporations and municipalities in Tamil Nadu on administrative grounds.

The reshuffle covered officials serving in Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Erode, Thoothukudi, Thanjavur, Hosur, Sivakasi, and Namakkal corporations, as well as Maraimalai Nagar, Villupuram and Theni-Allinagaram municipalities.

Review of CMDA

Housing and Urban Development Minister P. Rajkumar on Wednesday reviewed the organisational structure of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), departmental administration, development projects, and regional planning initiatives.

Discussions were also held on the objectives and key components of comprehensive plans being prepared across the State.

He reviewed the progress of the Geographic Information System (GIS)-based master planning initiatives and examined matters relating to the constitution of planning authorities and appointments of members to planning bodies.

The meeting also discussed infrastructure development funds, functioning of the single-window online approval system, and the progress of the self-certification scheme for building approvals.

Issues relating to hill area conservation authorities and the regularisation of unapproved layouts and plots were reviewed.

Deliberations were also held on the regularisation of unauthorised educational institution buildings, according to a press release.

Appointment orders

Earlier, the Minister distributed appointment orders to three candidates who were selected through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission for the post of Assistant Director in the Town and Country Planning Department, the release added.