Government Close to Home
Urban local bodies
Say what an urban local body is and what decentralised means, work out which body a city gets from its population, and describe what wards and ward committees do.
Good governance in a democracy aims to empower citizens so they can take an active part in how their country is run — at the rural, regional, urban, State or national level. That is the broader idea of participatory democracy. A city is generally more complex and more diverse than a village, so its governance has to be more complex too. Local government structures in urban areas are called urban local bodies.
Decentralised
Urban local bodies are decentralised. That means that instead of operating under a central authority at the top, the local communities have a direct say on how their areas are managed and on the issues they face. It is a mechanism for the citizens living in an area to come together and take decisions about what is best for them.
Have a play
One city, divided into wards.
Tap any part of the picture.
Which body a place gets
Which urban local body sits at the top depends on how many people live there. A city with a population above 10 lakhs has a Municipal Corporation, also called Mahanagar Nigam. Between 1 and 10 lakhs, the highest body is a Municipal Council, also called Nagar Palika. Places with smaller populations have a Nagar Panchayat.
Worked example
A town's population has just crossed 3 lakhs. Which urban local body will sit at the top of it?
Check the top band first: a Municipal Corporation needs a population above 10 lakhs. Three lakhs is well below that.
Working from the top down means you can stop at the first band that fits, instead of guessing.
Try it together
Now try the rule on three more places.
The bands again: above 10 lakhs a Municipal Corporation; between 1 and 10 lakhs a Municipal Council; smaller than that, a Nagar Panchayat.
1.A city of 24 lakhs. Which body sits at the top? Answer with two words, beginning with Municipal or Nagar.
Have a go
Your turn: a Municipal Corporation goes by a second name in the chapter. What is it? Two words.
Hint: The first word means great city.
Ready to practise?
Eight questions on what you have just read. Nothing is timed, and you can play as many times as you like.