- The policymakers were quite clear while enacting a law to introduce the urban local bodies to ensure the governance and social welfare schemes reach out to the last man standing. Needless to mention, the decentralization of governance to the local administration was not only well thought out but also envisaged to ensure some of the most basic amenities like motorable roads, clean air, potable water, and the safety/security of citizens are not compromised. In a Parliamentary form of democratic governance, the legislatures and the executive are entrusted with unambiguous responsibilities aimed at extending welfare measures to citizens.
PC: freepik
- As such, the roles of zilla panchayats, taluk panchayats, gram panchayats, municipal corporations, and the ilk become extremely crucial. It’s also noted that the rural population is perpetually migrating to urban areas in search of jobs and employment opportunities. Such a phenomenon entails the administrators’ coming out with policies to provide basic amenities for the existing population as well as the migrating ones too. The planning assumes greater importance here. This is where the role of urban local bodies assumes significant importance. As you are aware, such local bodies are supposed to be apolitical but invariably assume political colouring what with even the national parties identifying big time to administer these bodies.
- You know when there are politics and political leaders involved whose only drive is to uphold parochial considerations and blatantly indulge in oneupmanship, the usual casualty is the administration. The said phenomenon is visible around. Note that for the third time in a month, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) failed to elect its mayor after AAP and BJP councillors again engaged in a row over the election process. This MCD conflict is an extension of the years-long tussle between the two parties over the administration of the national capital. Given Delhi’s unique governance structure with a multiplicity of authorities, ideally, the state and central governments should be working in harmony.
PC: freepik
- Sadly, in times of hyper-competitive politics, such an understanding has remained elusive. Major decisions related to policy matters, development works, and projects that require big financial investment are getting delayed affecting the smooth functioning everywhere. Surprisingly, MCD isn’t the only municipal body in this position. For close to a year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) – the country’s richest civic body – has been managed by an administrator after its term expired and polls were delayed. Further, an astonishing 22 of 28 municipal corporations in Maharashtra have seen their terms expire with fresh polls nowhere in sight.
- Mind you, the Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992 provided for the creation of urban local bodies and empowered state governments to devolve the responsibility of 18 functions including urban planning, regulation of land use, water supply, etc. But a 2020 paper by PRS Legislative Research found that most state governments are reluctant to share power and taxes with local bodies undermining the urban governance institution itself. Remember, 675 million Indians are slated to live in urban centres by 2035. Thus, the demand for smarter cities will grow where the local bodies are required to be empowered rather than stalled for the same. The policymakers must not remain immune to these unavoidable requirements.
