Cities and towns have grown rapidly in India. With millions of people living in them, cities have many problems – water supply, sanitation, garbage, roads, streetlights, traffic and pollution. To solve these problems, every city has its own local government. This local government of the cities is called the urban administration.
In large cities, the urban administration is called the Municipal Corporation, and in smaller towns it is called the Municipality. In this chapter, we will learn about the functions of the Municipal Corporation, how it is organised, the problems it faces, and how the people can help it in keeping the cities clean and beautiful.
Urban administration is the local government that looks after the cities and towns. It provides the essential services to the people of the city, such as water, sanitation, health, education, roads and streetlights.
The urban administration works at two levels: - The Municipal Corporation – the local government of large cities. - The Municipality (or Municipal Council) – the local government of smaller towns.
These bodies are elected by the people of the city, and they are responsible for the welfare and development of the city.
The Municipal Corporation is the local government of a large city. It is also called the Nagar Nigam in some states. Some of the important municipal corporations of India are in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
The Municipal Corporation is headed by the Mayor and has a Corporator or Councillor in each ward of the city. The city is divided into many wards, and each ward elects its own representative. The Municipal Corporation: - Looks after the water supply of the city. - Keeps the city clean and collects the garbage. - Maintains the roads, bridges and streetlights. - Manages the sanitation and drainage. - Looks after the parks, gardens and public health. - Registers the births and deaths in the city.
The Municipality (or Municipal Council) is the local government of smaller towns. It performs functions similar to those of the Municipal Corporation, but on a smaller scale.
The Municipality is also divided into wards, and the elected representatives are called Councillors. The Municipality looks after the water, sanitation, roads and streetlights of the town. The head of the Municipality is called the Chairman or the President.
The city is divided into many wards, and the people of each ward elect a representative, who is called the Ward Councillor (or Corporator in a Municipal Corporation).
The Ward Councillor: - Represents the people of his or her ward. - Takes the problems of the ward to the Municipal Corporation. - Looks after the development of the ward. - Works for the cleanliness and improvement of the ward.
The Ward Councillor is the link between the people of the ward and the Municipal Corporation.
With the rapid growth of the cities, the urban administration faces many problems: - Garbage: The growing amount of garbage in the cities is a serious problem. The garbage is not collected regularly, and it piles up in the streets. - Water supply: The supply of clean water is not enough for the growing population. - Sanitation: Many areas do not have proper drainage and toilets. - Traffic: The increasing number of vehicles causes traffic jams and accidents. - Pollution: The smoke of the vehicles and the factories pollutes the air. - Housing: Many people do not have proper houses and live in slums.
The Municipal Corporation works to solve these problems, but it needs the cooperation of the people.
The problem of garbage is one of the biggest challenges of the urban administration. Every day, a huge amount of garbage is produced in the cities, and its disposal is a major task.
The Municipal Corporation collects the garbage from the streets and the colonies and carries it to the garbage dumps outside the city. However, when the people throw garbage on the streets and in the drains instead of in the dustbins, the garbage piles up and becomes a health hazard. The Corporation has made rules that garbage must be thrown only in the dustbins, but it is the duty of the citizens to follow these rules.
The urban administration alone cannot keep the city clean; the citizens must also cooperate:
When the citizens cooperate with the urban administration, the city remains clean and beautiful.
The Municipal Corporation needs money to run the services of the city. It collects this money through taxes: - Property tax: The tax paid by the owners of the houses and buildings. - Water tax: The tax paid for the supply of water. - Taxes on the trade and services in the city.
The money collected from these taxes is used for the maintenance of the roads, streetlights, parks, water supply and the cleaning of the city. If the people do not pay their taxes, the Corporation cannot provide these services properly.
The Municipal Corporation is the government of the city, and it works for the welfare of the people. It provides the essential services that make the city livable – clean water, sanitation, roads, lights, parks, health and education.
But the Corporation is not a separate authority; it is the representative body of the people. The Ward Councillors are elected by the people, and the people can take their problems to their Councillors. The success of the urban administration depends on the participation and cooperation of the citizens. A clean and well-managed city is the result of the joint effort of the Corporation and the citizens.
| Body | Area | Head |
|---|---|---|
| Municipal Corporation | Large city | Mayor |
| Municipality | Smaller town | Chairman/President |
| Ward | Part of a city | Ward Councillor |
| Function | Example |
|---|---|
| Water supply | Providing clean water |
| Sanitation and garbage | Collecting and disposing garbage |
| Roads and lights | Building and maintaining roads, streetlights |
| Health | Parks, gardens, public health |
| Records | Registration of births and deaths |
The urban administration is the local government of the cities and towns of India. In large cities, it is called the Municipal Corporation, headed by the Mayor, and in smaller towns, it is the Municipality. The city is divided into wards, and each ward elects a Councillor to represent it.
The Municipal Corporation provides water, sanitation, roads, streetlights and health services, and it collects taxes to fund these services. But the growing cities face many problems, especially the problem of garbage. The city can be kept clean and beautiful only when the Corporation and the citizens work together. By throwing garbage in the dustbins, paying taxes and cooperating with the cleaners, every citizen can contribute to the well-being of the city.