ForumIAS announcing GS Foundation Program for UPSC CSE 2025-26 from 10th August. Click Here for more information.
The missing tiers
Article:
1-Mathew Idiculla, lawyer and researcher on urban issues, analyse the reasons behind disempowerment and depoliticisation of urban local government.
Important Analyses:
2- The passage of 73 rd and 74th Amendment came into force in 1993
3- 73rd amendment deals with creation of panchayats, while 74th amendment deals with creation of municipalities.
4- Problems associated with 74 amendment act in the Constitution.
- Many of its key provisions are not mandatory for state government.
- 12th schedule do not include essential such as urban transportation, housing or urban commons.
- Power in urban areas is concentrate in a single municipal bodies.
- Municipalities not created in areas declared industrial townships.
- Unlike the 73rd Amendment which provides for three levels of panchayats (village, taluk, and district levels), power in urban areas is concentrated in a single municipal body (whether it is a municipal corporation, municipal council or town panchayat).
- Author raise concern about the continuous dis empowering of local government by state government
- In most municipal corporation, Mayor is the ceremonial head while executive power is vested with the state government appointed commissioner.
- this is usually done to curtail the power of local level politician.
- some other concerns raised by author about urban local government are
- lack of proper finance
- Administrative capacity of ULBs is weak which led yo implementation failure
- By creating many parastatal agencies like urban development authorities (which build infrastructure) and public corporations (which provide services such as water, electricity and transportation)
- Local government need to take permission of state government for levying taxes.
- Smart cities mission of central government further delegate the power of local bodies.
- smart cities program mandates for the creation of special purpose vehicles (SPVs) which will have “operational independence and autonomy in decision making and mission implementation”.
- Ward committee and Metropolitan planning failed to create civic activism as envisaged by 74th amendment.
- Author suggested for reform in urban governance which vests power in a singular municipality