Urban Local Self-Government Bodies
Review Exercise
I. Fill in the blanks.
1. Improvement Trusts are special development boards set up for very large cities, such as Delhi and Mumbai, for ensuring overall welfare.
2. Aldermen are respected elder members of the municipal corporation.
3. Each city is divided into wards for the election of members of municipality.
4. The tenure of a municipality is for five years.
5. Cantonment boards govern the areas occupied by army personnel.
6. Smaller cities with a population of more than 20,000 but than 5,00,000 have municipalities or palikas.
7. The deputy-mayor discharges duties in the absence of a mayor.
8. One-third of the seats are reserved for women in the municipal corporation.
9. To ensure supply of safe drinking water and maintenance of proper standards of sanitation are compulsory functions of the municipal corporation.
10. The Municipal Commissioner is appointed by the state government and is in charge of the general administration of the municipality.
II. Answer these questions.
1. Why do we need urban local self-governing bodies?
= The reason behind the creation of local self-governing bodies is two-fold.
While the central and state governments are responsible for the larger needs and governance of the country and states respectively, in cities and towns local needs are often overlooked.
Also it is believed that local people can understand their needs and interests better.
2. Who are aldermen? What is their role?
= Aldermen are a number of elderly respected citizens of the city are chosen from amongst the well-known citizens of that city.
They are known as the aldermen.
They also form part of the municipal corporation.
3. What are the source of income of municipal corporations?
= The sources of income of the municipal corporations are different types of taxes such as water tax, entertainment taxes property tax, pilgrimage tax, toll tax, electricity and parking charges and octroi on goods brought into the city and grants from the state governments.
4. Who is at the head of a municipal corporation? How is he/she elected?
= Mayor is at the head of a municipal corporation.
He is elected from the elected ward councillors committee.
5. Who are ward councillors? What is their role in a role in a municipal corporation?
= For election purposes, the city is divided into different wards. Each ward elects a member of the municipal corporation. These members are known as ward councillors.
The elected ward councillors form a committee and elect a mayor.
6. List the population size for which a municipality is set up. What are its functions?
= Smaller cities with a population of more than 20,000 and up to 5,00,000 have municipalities.
Municipalities are responsible for :-
❐ Construction and maintenance of roads.
❐ Looking after drainage facilities and providing safe drinking water.
❐ Issuing licenses for new buildings, factories, birth and death certificates.
❐ Providing transport facilities, maintaining cremation and burial grounds.
❐ Setting up primary and secondary schools, promoting adult education and literacy programmes.
7. What is the composition of a municipality?
= Commissioner :- He/ She is appointed by the state government and is in charge of the general administration of the municipality.
President and Vice President :- The members of the municipal committee elect a president and a vice president, who are responsible for carrying out the administrative functions according to the policies approved by the elected members.
Aldermen :- They are elected by the members of the municipality.
Other members :- Some seats are reserved for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, backward classes and women.
8. Write a brief note on the structure and composition of a municipal corporation.
= The members of the municipal corporations are elected on the basis of adult franchise for a term of five years. The total number of members depend on the population of that city.
Ward councillors or councillors :- For election purposes, the city is divided in to different wards. Each ward elects a member of the municipal corporation. These members are known as ward councillors.
Mayor and deputy mayor :- The elected ward councillors from a committee and elect a mayor who is the head of the municipal corporation and presides over the meetings of the corporation. A deputy mayor is also appointed who discharges the duties in mayor's absence. The term of both the mayor and deputy mayor is between one and five years. This varies from one municipal corporation to another.
Municipal commissioner :- The state government appoints a municipal commissioner who stays in the office for a period of three to five years. He implements all the decisions of the municipal corporation and prepares the annual budget.
Aldermen :- A number of elderly respected citizens of the city are chosen from amongst the well-known citizens of that city. They are known as the aldermen. They also form part of the municipal corporation.
Other members :- Some of the seats are reserved for the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes.
One-third of the seats are reserved for women. The corporation also comprise Members of parliament and the Members of the State Legislative Assembly of that area.
9. Mention any three sources of income of the municipal corporation.
= Three sources of income of the municipal corporation are - i) water tax; ii) entertainment tax; and iii) pilgrimage tax;
10. What is ward? Why are they created?
= A ward is an administrative division of a city or town.
They are created for election purposes.
11. Name two metropolitan cities. Why do they have municipal corporations?
= Name of two metropolitan cities are - Kolkata and Delhi.
They have municipal corporations to deal with problems and required transport facilities, good-quality roads, good hospitals and educational institutions.
12. Local self-governing bodies were created so that needs of common people are well-addressed. Do you agree? Justify your answer.
= Yes, I do agree that self-governing bodies were created so that needs of common people are well-addressed. They carries out various compulsory and optional functions.
In urban areas, local needs such as health facilities, education, entertainment, maintenance of streets, public buildings and street lights, water supply and sanitation are looked after by elected local bodies.
13. Who is the mayor of your city? What is the role of the mayor?
= The mayor of our city is the person elected by the committee of the elected ward councillors.
He is the head of the municipal corporation. He presides over the meetings of the corporation.
III. Write short notes.
1. Sources of income of municipalities.
= The sources of income of the municipalities are different types of taxes such as water tax, entertainment taxes property tax, pilgrimage tax, toll tax, electricity and parking charges and octroi on goods brought into the city and grants from the state governments.
2. Composition of municipal corporations.
= Municipal commissioner :- The state government appoints a municipal commissioner who stays in the office for a period of three to five years. He implements all the decisions of the municipal corporation and prepares the annual budget.
Aldermen :- A number of elderly respected citizens of the city are chosen from amongst the well-known citizens of that city. They are known as the aldermen. They also form part of the municipal corporation.
Other members :- Some of the seats are reserved for the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes.
One-third of the seats are reserved for women. The corporation also comprise Members of parliament and the Members of the State Legislative Assembly of that area.
3. Optional functions of municipal corporations.
= The optional functions of municipal corporations are -
❐ Supplying cooking gas and milk.
❐ Establishing and maintaining museums, parks, playgrounds and stadiums.
❐ Building and maintaining old age homes, orphanages and rest houses.
❐ Building and maintaining primary, secondary and higher secondary schools.
❐ Making necessary provisions for adult education and night schools for labourers.
❐ Providing and maintaining public transport system.
4. Ward councillors.
= For election purposes, the city is divided into different wards. Each ward elects a member of the municipal corporation. These members are known as ward councillors.
The elected ward councillors form a committee and elect a mayor.
IV. State whether true or false.
1. Municipalities are set up in areas having more than ten lakh population. [F]
2. The president and vice-president of municipalities are elected directly by people. [F]
3. Octroi is a tax levied on the goods coming into the city. [T]
4. Mayor is elected for a term of ten years. [F]
5. Chennai is governed by a municipality. [T]