GS Paper 2
POLITY
Urban Local Bodies
Dr. Shruti Joshi
Historical Background
• The era of Urban Local Governance in India started with the formation of Madras Municipal
Corporation in 1687.
• Later similar corporations were formed in Calcutta and Bombay Municipal Corporation in 1726.
• In 1882, Lord Ripon – the Viceroy of India - passed a resolution of local self-government which laid
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the democratic forms of municipal governance in India. co
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• Indian Independence ushered a new era of local governanceyain
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• The Constitution of India allotted the local self-government
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• In 1953, the U.P. Government took a decisionOto set-up Municipal Corporations in five big cities of
Kanpur, Agra, Varanasi, Allahabad and Lucknow, popularly known as KAVAL Towns.
• In 1985, the Central Government appointed the National Commission on Urbanization, which gave its
report in 1988.
• Finally, it was the Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992 that gave constitutional status to the
Urban Local governance bodies.
74th Constitutional Amendment Act
1) 74th amendment dealt with urban local bodies or Nagarpalikas.
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2) What is an urban area? hy
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• The Census of India defines an urban area as having: (i) a minimum population of 5,000;
(ii) at least 75 per cent of male working population engaged in non-agricultural occupations
and (iii) a density of population of at least 400 persons per sq. km.
• As per the 2011 Census, about 31% of India’s population lives in urban areas
3) Types of urban Local Bodies
•Municipal Corporations:
✔ These are the largest ULBs.
✔ Manages the affairs of metropolitan cities with
a population of over one million.
✔ Governed by a Mayor-in-Council system, co
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•Municipal Councils:
•Intermediate ULBs.
•Manages the affairs of cities with a population of less than one million.
•Governed by a President-in-Council system, with a President as the head and a Vice-President
to assist him/her.
•Nagar Panchayats:
✔ Smaller ULBs.
✔ Manages the affairs of towns with a population of less than 100,000.
✔ Governed by a Chairperson-in-Council system, with a Chairperson as the head
and a Vice-Chairperson to assist him/her. il.c
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Apart from these, there also special-purpose mULBs,cya such as Notified Area Town
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Area Committee, Cantonment Board, Townships, f or Port trust and Special Purpose
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Agency.
• Notified Area Committee
✔ For administration of fast developing town.
✔ Established by a notification of state govt.
✔ Entirely nominated.
• Town Area Committee il.c
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✔ For administration of small town. v @
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✔ Entrusted with a limited no. of civic functions
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• Cantonment Board
✔ For administration of civilian population in cantonment area.
✔ Under Ministry of Defense.
✔ Statutory body, created through Cantonments Act 2006.
• Township
✔ Established by large public sector enterprises to provide civic amenities to its
staff.
✔ Headed by Town administrator: appointed by the public enterprise.
• Port Trust om
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Established in port areas. gm
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✔ Created by an act of Parliament. 5c
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Consists of both elected + nominated members.
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• Special Purpose Agency
✔ They are function based, not area based.
✔ Established by Act of state govt.
✔ They are autonomous bodies and deal with functions allotted to them
independently of urban local govts.
1) Levels of Municipal bodies----
3 levels.
A ‘Nagar Panchayat (town council)‘ for transitional areas.
A ‘Municipal Council’ for a smaller urban area.
A ‘Municipal Corporation’ for a larger urban area.
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2) Term 5 years co
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3) Election: An independent State Election Commission cya 5 for the conduct, superintendence and
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control of mu nicipal elections. or
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4) Reservations
Seats be reserved for SCs and STs in proportion to their population in the municipal area.
Mandatory provision of reserving one- third of every elected urban body for women
representatives.
Reservations were also provided for in the position of chairpersons of municipalities.
5) Finance Planning: A State Finance Commission to review the financial position of the
municipalities and make recommendations for the financial health of ULBs.
6) Planning
Via District Planning Committee and Metropolitan Planning Committee.
• District Planning Committee om
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✔ Under Article 243ZD. da
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✔ Objective: to consolidate the developmental y a
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Municipalities following within the districtly foand then prepare a single draft development
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plan for the district as a whole.
✔ Note: DPCs are not constituted in 5th Scheduled area, and 6th Scheduled areas.
✔ State Legislature makes provisions regarding the composition and the manner of filling the
seats of such committees.
✔ A minimum of 4/5th of all the members of DPC shall be elected by and from amongst the
elected members of Panchayat at the district level and the Municipalities falling within the
district.
• Metropolitan Planning Committee
✔ Under Article 243ZE.
✔ Objective: To prepare a draft development plan for the metropolitan area as a whole in
metropoli tan area.
✔ Note: A Metropolitan area is an area having a population of 10 lakhs or more comprised in
one or more municipalities and Panchayats as specified by the om
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✔ State Legislature makes provisions regarding the composition da
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seats of such committees. 2 5c
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✔ A minimum 2/3rd of the members of the MPC ly f or shall be elected by and from amongst the
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elected members of municipalities and the chairpersons of Panchayats falling within the
metropolitan area.
(IV)Challenges of ULB’s
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(V) Way Forward/ What needs to be done?
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