Urban Governance: Types of Urban Government in India

Introduction

Urban governments come in various forms, each tailored to the unique needs and structures of different cities. These types can include mayor-council systems, council-manager systems, and commission governments, each with its own set of responsibilities and decision-making processes. Eight types of urban local bodies are created in India for the administration of urban areas as given below.

1. Municipal Corporation

• Created by acts of the state legislature (by Parliament in the case of UTs) for the administration of big cities. 
• There may be one common act for all municipal corporations in a state or a separate act for each municipal corporation.
• A municipal corporation has three authori­ties: The council, The standing committees and the commissioner.
• Council: The Council is headed by a Mayor. He/she is assisted by a Deputy Mayor. 
• • The mayor is elected in a  majority of the states for a one­ year renewable term. 
  • He/she is basically an ornamental figure and a formal head of the corporation. 
  • His/her main function is to preside over the meetings of the Council. 
  • The Council is the deliberative and leg­islative wing of the corporation. It consists of the Councillors directly elected by the people, as well as a few nominated persons having knowledge or experience of municipal administration. 
• Standing Committees: These are created to facilitate the working of the council, which is too large in size. 
  • They deal with public works, education, health, taxation, finance and so on. 
  • They make decisions in their fields.
• Municipal Commissioner: He/She is responsible for the implementation of the decisions taken by the council and its standing committees. 
  • Thus, he/she is the chief executive authority of the corporation. 
  • He/she is appointed by the state government and is generally a member of the IAS.

2. Municipalities

• Created by acts of state legislature (by Parliament in case of UTs) for administration of towns and smaller cities. 
  • They are also known by various other names like municipal council, municipal commit­tee, municipal board, borough municipality, city municipality and others.
• A municipality has three authorities like that of municipal corporation:  the council, the standing committees and the chief executive officer.
• Council: Headed by a president/chair­man. He/she is assisted by a vice-president/vice­ chairman. 
  • He/she presides over the meetings of the council. 
  • Unlike the Mayor of a municipal corporation, he/she plays a significant role and is the pivot of the municipal administration. Apart from presiding over the meetings of the Council, he/she enjoys executive powers.
  • The council is the deliberative and legislative wing of the municipality. 
  • It consists of the councilors directly elected by the people.
• Chief Executive Officer: Also known as chief municipal officer is responsible for day-to-day general  administration of the municipality. He/she is appointed by the state government.
• Standing Committees: These are created to facilitate the working of the council. 
  • They deal with public works, taxation, health, finance and so on.

3. Town Area Committee 

• Statutory Body: It is created by a separate act of a state legislature for the admin­istration of a small town. 
  • Limited Function: It is a semi-municipal authority and is entrusted with a limited number of civic functions like drainage, roads, street lighting and conservancy.
  • Its composi­tion, functions and other matters are governed by the act. 
  • Elected or Nominated: It may be wholly elected or wholly nominated by the state government or partly elected and partly nominated.

4. Cantonment Board

• Statutory Body: The Cantonments Act of 2006  is legislation enacted by the Central government; deals with the civilian administration in the cantonment area, and works under the defense ministry.
  • Partly Elected and Partly Nominated: They are partly elected and partly nominated. The elected members hold office for a term of five years while the nominated members (i.e., ex-officio members) continue so long as they hold the office in that station.
• Ex-officio President: The military officer commanding the station is the ex-officio president of the board and presides over its meetings. 
  • Vice-president: of the board is elected by the elected members from amongst themselves for a term of five years.
• Executive Officer: The executive officer of the cantonment board is appointed by the President of India. 
  • He/she implements all the resolutions and decisions of the board and its committees. 
  • He/she belongs to the central cadre established for the purpose.
  • Currently, there are 61 Cantonment Boards.  
  • Functions: These are local bodies responsible for providing civic administration as well as implementing the Central Govt schemes of social welfare, public health, hygiene, safety, water supply, sanitation, urban renewal, and education.    
  • Classification of Cantonment Boards: 
  • Category I: Population above 50,000;
  • Category II: Population between 10,000 and 50,000;
  • Category III: Population between 2500 and 10000; 
  • Category IV : Population below 2500.

5. Notified Area Committee: 

• Non-Statutory: For administration of fast-developing towns or which does not fulfill conditions for a municipality, created through gazette notification. 
• Nominated: Entirely a nominated body. It is neither an elected body nor a statutory body.

6. Township: 

• Established by the large public enterprises to provide civic amenities to its staff and workers; no elected members. It is also a non-statutory body.

7. Port Trust: 

• Statutory Body: Established by an act of parliament for two purposes: 
  • Protect the ports; 
  • To provide civic amenities in and around ports. Consists of both elected and nominated members. Its chairman is an official.

8. Special Purpose Agency: 

• • Set up by the state for a specific purpose i.e. function-based organization and not area-based. 
  • They are not subordinate agencies of the local municipal bodies.
  • Statutory or Executive Body: They function as autonomous bodies, established as statutory bodies by an act of state legislature or as departments by an executive resolution.
  • These agencies deal with the functions allotted to them independently of the local urban governments.
  • Examples: Water supply and sewerage boards, Housing boards, Pollution control boards, etc

District Planning Committee (DPC)

• Article 243ZD: To consolidate plans of panchayats and municipalities and to prepare a draft development plan.
• Every state shall constitute it at the district level to consolidate the plans prepared by panchayats and municipalities in the district.
• The state legislature may make provisions for the mode and manner of election, functions, and composition of DPC.
• 4/5th members of DPC: Should be elected by the elected members of the district panchayat and municipalities in the district from amongst themselves the district from amongst themselves. 
  • The representation of these members in the committee should be in proportion to the ratio between the rural and urban populations in the district.
• The chairperson of such a committee shall forward the development plan to the state government.

Metropolitan Planning Committee: Article 243 ZE

• Metropolitan Area: An area in the country where the population is above 10 Lakhs (Art. 243 P)
• Prepares draft development plan.
• The state legislature may make provisions for the mode and manner of election, functions, and composition of MPC.
• 2/3rd members of MPC: should be elected by the elected members of the municipalities and chairpersons of the panchayats in the metropolitan area from amongst themselves. 
• The representation of these members in the committee should be in proportion to the ratio between the rural and urban populations in the district.
• 1/3rd members: Nominated.
• The chairpersons of such committees shall forward the development plan to the state government.

Municipal Personnel

• Separate Personnel System: Each local body appoints, administers, and controls its own personnel. 
• They are not transferable to other local bodies. 
• It is the most widely prevalent system. 
• This system upholds the principle of local autonomy and promotes undivided loyalty.
• Unified Personnel System: The state government appoints, administers, and controls the municipal personnel, transferable between the local bodies in the state.
• Integrated Personnel System: The personnel of the state government and those of the local bodies form part of the same service and are transferable not only between the local bodies in the state but also between local bodies and departments of state government.

Municipal Revenue

• Tax Revenue: Local taxes and cesses.
• Non-Tax Revenue: Rent, user charges
• Grants: By the central and state governments.
• Devolution: Transfer of funds to the urban local bodies from the state government.
• Loans: raised from state government and financial institutions.

Central Council of Local Governments

• Set up in 1954, under Article 263 (Inter-state Council) by an order of the President. 
• It is an advisory body.
  • It has been dealing with matters of urban local government only. (Before 1958, It dealt with both Rural and Urban Affairs)
• Composition: It consists of the Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs in the Government of India and the ministers for local self-government in the states. 
• The Union minister acts as the Chairman of the Council.

Conclusion

• The creation of eight types of urban local bodies in India underscores the diverse administrative needs of urban areas across the country. 
• These bodies, ranging from Municipal Corporations to Town Panchayats, are designed to cater to the specific requirements of different urban settings, ensuring effective governance, service delivery, and community engagement. 
• This varied approach reflects the complexity and dynamism of India’s urban landscape, aiming to foster sustainable development and improve the quality of life for urban residents.