नगरपालिका -एक परिचय

Municipal Governance in India has been in existence since the year 1687 with the formation of Madras Municipal Corporation and then Calcutta and Bombay Municipal Corporation in 1726. In early part of the nineteenth century almost all towns in India had experienced some form of municipal governance. In 1882 the then Viceroy of India, Lord Ripon’s resolution of local self-government laid the democratic forms of municipal governance in India. In 1919, a Government of India act incorporated the need of the resolution and the powers of democratically elected government were formulated. In 1935 another Government of India act brought local government under the purview of the state or provincial government and specific powers were given. Purpose The purpose of municipal governance and strategic urban planning in a country is to create effective, responsive, democratic, transparent, accountable local governance framework organised according to a rational structure that promotes responsiveness and accountability; to provide responsive policy guidance and assistance to sub-national entities; to strengthen the legal, fiscal, economic and service delivery functions of municipalities ; and to foster greater citizen participation in the governance of local bodies. Article 243Q of the 74th Amendment requires that municipal areas shall be declared having regard to the population of the area, the density of population therein, the revenue generated for local administration, the percentage of employment in non-agricultural activities, the economic importance or such other factors as may be specified by the state government by public notification for this purpose. Responsibilities of ULBs The municipal bodies of India are vested with a long list of functions delegated to them by the state governments under the municipal legislation. These functions broadly relate to public health, welfare, regulatory functions, public safety, public infrastructure works, and development activities. Public health includes Water supply, Sewerage and Sanitation, eradication of communicable diseases etc.; welfare includes public facilities such as Education, recreation, etc.; regulatory functions related to prescribing and enforcing Building regulations, encroachments on public land, Birth registration and Death certificate, etc.; public safety includes Fire protection, Street lighting, etc.; public works measures such as construction and maintenance of inner city roads, etc.; and development functions related to Town planning and development of commercial markets. In addition to the legally assigned functions, the sectoral departments of the state government often assign unilaterally, and on an agency basis, various functions such as Family planning, Nutrition and slum improvement, disease and Epidemic control, etc. The Twelfth Schedule of Constitution (Article 243 w) provides an illustrative list of eighteen functions, that may be entrusted to the municipalities. Suggested municipal functions The suggested functions to nagar panchayats are listed in below:-
 >1.Urban planning including town planning
 >2.Regulation of land-use and construction of buildings
 >3.Planning for economic and social development
 >4.Roads and bridges
 >5.Water supply domestic, Industrial and commercial purposes
 >6.Public health, sanitation, conservancy and solid waste management
 >7.Urban forestry
 >8.Preventive Health Care
 >9.Provision of urban amenities and facilities such as parks, gardens, playgrounds
 >10.Burials and burial grounds, cremations, cremation ghats/grounds and electric crematoria
 >11.Cattle pounds, prevention of cruelty to animals
 >12.Vital statistics including registration of births and deaths
 >13.Street lighting
 >14.Parking lots, bus stops and public conveniences
 >15.Regulation of slaughter houses and tanneries
 >16.Slum improvement and up gradation
 >17.Agency Functions
 >18.Protection of the environment and promotion of ecological aspects
 >19.Safeguarding the interests of weaker sections of society, including the handicapped and the mentally       retarded
 >20.Urban poverty alleviation
>21.Promotion of cultural, education and aesthetic aspects etc.