About:
-
- The 74th Amendment Act granted constitutional status to ULBs.
- Added Part IX A (The Municipalities) to the constitution covering Article 243(P) to 243(ZG)
- Added Twelfth Schedule covering 18 Subjects within the functions of the ULBs.
- Mandatory provisions:
- Direct election of members
- 33% reservation to women
- Constitution of State Finance Commission (SFC) and State Election Commission (SEC)
- District Planning Committee and Metropolitan Planning Committee
Classification:
| Parameter | Municipal Corporation | Municipality | Nagar Panchayat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definition | Governs large cities | Governs medium-sized towns. | Governs transitional areas |
| Population Criteria | More than 10 lakh | 1 lakh to 10 lakh. | Less than 1 lakh. |
| Governing Head | Mayor & Municipal Commissioner | President/Chairperson | Chairperson |
| Composition | Directly elected members, nominated members, and ward committees. | Directly elected members and nominated members. | Directly elected members and nominated members. |
| Executive body | • Standing committee • Chairman • Municipal Commissioner | • Standing committee • Chief Executive Officer (CEO) | • Standing committee • Chief Executive Officer (CEO) |
| Deliberative body | Council | Council | Council |
| Tenure | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years |
Problems in ULBs
Funding
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- Dependence on Central & State Transfers
- Inefficiency in Property Tax Collection- only 10-11% from property tax
- Limited Taxation Powers
- Delayed State Finance Commissions
Functional
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- Proliferation of Parastatal Agencies
- Inadequate Devolution of Powers
- Non-functional District Planning Committees (DPCs)
Functionaries
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- Rising corruption and criminal elements in urban governance.
- Corporator Pati Syndrome
- Bureaucratic interference
- Staff Shortage as 35% of municipal posts remain vacant
Functionality
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- Unplanned Urbanization
- Poor centre-state-local cooperation hampers policy implementation.
Types of ULBs:
| Types of ULB | Features |
|---|---|
| Municipal Corporation | • Governs large cities (e.g., Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata). • Established by State Acts or Parliamentary Acts in Union Territories. • Three authorities: Council (elected members, headed by a Mayor), Standing Committees, and Municipal Commissioner (executive authority, appointed by the state government). |
| Municipality | • Governs medium-sized towns and smaller cities. • Also called Municipal Council/Committee/Board. • Three authorities: Council (elected members, headed by a President/Chairman), Standing Committees, and Chief Executive Officer (appointed by the state government). |
| Notified Area Committee | • Administers fast-growing towns or areas not yet qualifying as municipalities. • Entirely nominated body (not elected). • Functions like a municipality but is controlled by the state government. |
| Town Area Committee | • Governs small towns with limited municipal functions (e.g., drainage, roads, street lighting). • May be fully elected, fully nominated, or a mix of both. |
| Cantonment Board | • Governs civilian areas in military cantonments. • Established under the Cantonments Act, 2006 and controlled by the Ministry of Defence. • Members are partly elected and partly nominated, with military officer as the ex-officio president. |
| Township | • Created by large public enterprises to provide civic amenities to workers. • No elected members; administration is managed by a town administrator appointed by the enterprise. |
| Port Trust | • Manages port areas (e.g., Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai). • Created by Parliamentary Acts. • Consists of both elected and nominated members, headed by an official chairman. |
| Special Purpose Agency | • Handles specific functions (e.g., water supply, housing, pollution control). • Examples: Urban Development Authorities, Housing Boards, Transport Boards, Electricity Boards. • Not under municipalities, functions independently. |
DEEM Model (Direct election of mayor)
Arguments in favor of direct election of Mayor
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- Political Legitimacy
- Enhances citizen participation in local governance.
- Stable and Effective Leadership
- Less interference from state governments.
- Global Best Practices e.g. in New York, London, Paris
Arguments against direct election of Mayor
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- Conflict with Municipal Council can lead to deadlocks and policy paralysis.
- Lack of administrative experience
- Weakened state government oversight
- Politicalization of urban governance
Current Status in India
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- Some states have directly elected Mayor: Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan (some cities).
- In 2021, Madhya Pradesh reintroduced direct elections for Mayors after switching to indirect elections in 2015.
- Delhi has indirectly elected Mayor, leading to governance issues due to conflicts between Mayor and state government.
Way forward
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- Decentralization of Powers
- Improve Financial Management
- Capacity Building
- Strengthen collaboration with government, civil society, and private sector.
- Encourage citizen advisory boards, town hall meetings, and feedback mechanisms.
