LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN URBAN AREAS

Overview

• There are more than 3000 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India
• Based on the 74^th Constitution Amendment Act, there are three types of ULBs
• Municipal Corporation (nagar nigam)
• Municipality (nagar palika)
• City Council (nagar panchayat)
• According to the Act, there needs to be a City Council for areas in transition from rural to urban, a Municipality for small urban areas and a Municipal Corporation for large urban areas
• The functions and powers of ULBs vary from state to state
• Municipal governance in India was first introduced in Madras in 1688. The Madras Municipal Corporation was the first municipal body in the Commonwealth outside the UK. The Bombay and Calcutta Corporations were established in 1726
  MUNICIPAL CORPORATION
• Municipal Corporations are established in cities with population greater than 1 million
• Municipal Corporations function under the provisions of the Corporation Act 1835
• The Corporations are elected directly by the people. Elected members serve a term of 5 years
• Municipal Corporations provide necessary community services such as health care, educational centres etc
• Municipal Corporations interact directly with the state governments
• The head of the Corporation is the Mayor. The principal executive officer is the Municipal Commissioner (an IAS officer)

Sources of income

• Taxes on property, water, markets, entertainment
• Taxes on vehicles
• Grants from the state government

Functions of Municipal Corporations

• Water supply
• Hospitals
• Urban planning
• Roads
• Street lighting
• Sanitation
• Waste disposal
• Fire services
• Records of births and deaths

MUNICIPALITY

• A municipality administers an urban area of population 200,000 or less
• Municipalities interact with the state government through the Directorate of Municipalities or the District Collector
• Members of Municipalities are elected for a period of five years
• The head of the Municipality is the President, elected by and from the members
• The state government also appoints a Chief Officer and other officers such as Health Inspector, Sanitation Inspector etc to assist the President
• Their sources of income and functions are pretty much the same as that of Municipal Corporations
  CITY COUNCIL
• City Council administer urban areas having population greater than 30,000 and less than 100,000
• However, as an exception, all previous Town Area Committees (more than 5000 less than 20,000) have been reclassified as City Councils
• City Councils have a Chairman and ward members
• Ward members included elected members (min 10) and nominated members (min 3)