Urban Local Government

• What is urban local government and why cities need it.
• Structure: Municipal Corporation, Municipality, Town Panchayat.
• Key officials: Mayor, Commissioner, Ward Councillor.
• What urban local bodies do — services they provide.
• How citizens can participate in urban governance.

Why do cities need local government?

Cities have millions of people living close together → huge need for:

• Clean drinking water and sanitation.
• Roads, street lights, drainage.
• Waste collection and disposal.
• Schools, hospitals, parks.
• Building regulations (to prevent unsafe structures).

The Central and State governments are too busy with national/state issues to manage daily city life. So cities have their own elected local governments.

Types of urban local bodies

Structure of a Municipal Corporation

Elected members

• City is divided into wards (small geographical areas).
• Each ward elects one Ward Councillor (also called corporator).
• All ward councillors together form the Municipal Council (general house).
• The Mayor is the head — elected by councillors (or directly by citizens in some states).
• Deputy Mayor assists the Mayor.
• Reservations: seats reserved for SC, ST, OBC, and women (at least 1/3 seats for women — 74th Amendment).

Administrative officials (not elected)

• Municipal Commissioner: senior IAS officer appointed by state government; runs the day-to-day administration.
• Departments: water supply, roads, health, education, solid waste management, town planning.

The 74th Constitutional Amendment, 1992

• Made urban local bodies constitutionally recognised (just like Panchayati Raj for rural areas).
• 12th Schedule: lists 18 functions that urban local bodies should perform (water supply, roads, slum improvement, etc.).
• Mandated reservation for women (1/3 seats) and SCs/STs.
• States must hold elections to urban local bodies regularly.

What does the Municipal Corporation do?

Revenue — how the corporation earns money

Citizen participation

• Attend Ward Sabhas (neighbourhood meetings) to raise local issues.
• Elect ward councillors; demand accountability.
• Use complaint portals / helplines (most cities have apps for complaints).
• RTI Act: file RTI to ask how public money is spent.
• Join Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) to organise locally.

• What is the difference between a Municipal Corporation and a Municipality?
• Who is the Mayor? How is the Mayor different from the Municipal Commissioner?
• What does the 74th Constitutional Amendment say about urban local bodies?
• Name four services that a Municipal Corporation provides.
• How can citizens participate in urban governance?

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Urban Local Government.