LUCKNOW, Oct. 15 -- Mayors of Uttar Pradesh's 17 municipal corporations on Wednesday discussed ways to strengthen city finances, improve revenue collection and make urban development more inclusive. At a conference titled 'Listening to Cities, Solving Urban Challenges' in Lucknow, they discussed widening property tax coverage, improving collection efficiency, introducing appropriate user charges and exploring tourism-related levies to generate additional revenue. Sewerage and septage management, sanitation, solid waste disposal, drainage and water supply were also discussed. The conference was jointly organised by the Sixth State Finance Commission, UNICEF and Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University (RMLNLU), focusing on municipal finances, governance and service delivery in the context of the 16th Finance Commission. Finance minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, who was the chief guest, highlighted sewerage and septage management, cleanliness and municipal bonds as key areas for strengthening urban infrastructure. He also pointed to the additional pressure on civic services from floating populations, including daily commuters, tourists and pilgrims, whose needs require additional spending on water supply, sanitation and waste management. Deepak Kumar, chairman of the Sixth State Finance Commission and additional chief secretary (finance), delivered the inaugural address, while Sidharth Srivastava, secretary of the commission, welcomed the participants. The deliberations examined ways to improve municipal corporations' own-source revenue through better property tax administration, appropriate user charges and more effective use of municipal assets. Tourism-related fees and municipal bonds were discussed as possible sources of funds, subject to the applicable legal framework and the financial preparedness of individual urban local bodies. Other issues included financial management, urban planning and climate resilience. The programme also featured an orientation on the Child Friendly City initiative, focusing on integrating children's needs into municipal finances and urban governance....