Urban Administration

Introduction:
 Setting:
 Mala, Shankar, Jehangir, and Rehana are playing cricket in the street on a lazy Sunday
afternoon.
 The Incident:
 Shankar bowls a good over and nearly gets Rehana out.
 Frustrated, Shankar bowls a short ball, hoping for an easy catch, but Rehana hits the ball hard
and breaks a street light.
 Immediate Reaction:
 Rehana is shocked and worried about the broken street light.
 Shankar jokingly suggests they should have made a rule that breaking a street light means
you’re out.
 Mala, Jehangir, and Rehana focus on the consequence of the broken street light rather than the
game.
 Past Experience:
 The children recall breaking Nirmala Mausi's window the previous week and having to spend
their pocket money to replace it.
 They wonder if they will need to pay for the street light and who they would pay.
 Seeking Information:
 The children go to Rehana's mother for advice.
 Rehana’s mother tells them that the Municipal Corporation is responsible for replacing street
lights and suggests they ask Yasmin Khala, who recently retired from the Municipal
Corporation.
 Visit to Yasmin Khala:
 The children visit Yasmin Khala and explain the situation.
 Yasmin Khala explains that the Municipal Corporation is responsible for the maintenance of
street lights, garbage collection, water supply, cleanliness, disease prevention, running schools,
hospitals, and dispensaries, as well as maintaining gardens.
 Understanding the Municipal Corporation:
 Yasmin Khala informs the children that in a big city like Pune, the organization is called a
Municipal Corporation, while in smaller towns, it is known as a Municipal Council.

Goverment

State
Government

District
Government

Rural Urban

Municipal City Councile

Muncipality (Nagar
Gram Corporation
Block Samiti Zila Parisad (Nagar Panchyat)
Panchyat (Mahanagar
Palika)
Palika)
 Local Self Government-Urban Area

Small Town
(Population 30,000,to 1,00,000)

Nagar Panchayat Small Cities

(City Council) (Population 1,00,000, to 2 ,00,000)

Nagar Palika Big Cities

(Municipal Council) (Population above 2 ,00,000)

Nagar Nigam
(Municipal

Point-wise breakdown of the different types of urban local bodies based

on population size:
1. Municipal Corporation (Mahanagar Palika)
 Population Size: Cities with a population over 10 lakh (1 million).
 Commonly Found In: Very large cities, such as Mumbai and Delhi.
 Functions of Municipal Corporation:
1. Management of Electricity, Water Supply, and Drainage:
o Ensures a consistent supply of electricity and water.
o Maintains an efficient drainage system to prevent flooding and maintain sanitation.
2. Sanitation and Hygienic Living Conditions:
o Promotes hygienic living conditions through regular cleaning, sanitation drives, and
waste management.
3. Garbage Collection, Transportation, and Disposal:
o Organizes the collection, transportation, and disposal of garbage from different parts
of the city.
4. Maintenance of Public Infrastructure:
o Maintains and repairs roads, traffic lights, street lights, and other public properties to
ensure the smooth functioning of the city.
5. Operation of Public Organizations:
o Manages public organizations like health centers, ensuring that essential health
services are accessible to all residents.
6. Disease Prevention and Public Health Safety:
o Provides vaccinations and other health services to protect the population from
diseases.
7. Development and Maintenance of Public Places:
 o Builds and maintains public spaces such as gardens, parks, schools, hospitals, and
recreational areas.
8. Support for Vulnerable Populations:
o Operates old age homes for the elderly, orphanages for orphans, and night shelters
for the needy, ensuring support for vulnerable groups.
9. Record Keeping:
o Keeps updated records of births and deaths in the city or town, ensuring proper
documentation and registration.
2. Municipality (Nagar Palika)
 Population Size: Cities with a population between 20,000 and 10 lakh.
 Commonly Found In: Smaller cities.
 Primary Functions of Municipal Council:
1. Provision of Clean Water Supply: Ensures that residents have access to a clean and
reliable water supply.
2. Proper Drainage System: Manages and maintains an effective drainage system to prevent
waterlogging and promote sanitation.
3. Hospitals and Health Care Facilities: Establishes and maintains hospitals and health care
centres to provide medical services to the community.
4. Road Construction and Maintenance: Oversees the construction, repair, and upkeep of
roads within the municipality to ensure efficient transportation.
5. Street Lighting: Arranges and maintains proper street lighting to enhance safety and
visibility in public areas.
6. Fire Brigades: Maintains fire brigades to respond to emergencies and ensure public safety.
7. Public Utilities: Provides and maintains essential public utilities such as markets, roads,
bridges, parks, and recreational facilities.
8. Record Maintenance: Keeps official records of births and deaths within the municipal
area, ensuring proper documentation and registration.
3. City Council (Nagar Panchayat)
 Population Size: Very small towns with a population less than 20,000.
 Commonly Found In: Towns on the cusp of urbanization.
 Primary Functions of Nagar Panchayat:
 Provision of Clean Drinking Water: Ensures the supply of safe and clean drinking
water to residents.
 Electricity and Street Lighting: Manages the provision of electricity and ensures
proper lighting of streets for safety and convenience.
 Road Construction and Maintenance: Oversees the construction, repair, and
maintenance of roads within the town to ensure smooth transportation.
 Sanitation and Health Care Facilities: Organizes and maintains sanitation systems
and health care services to promote public health.
 Record Maintenance: Maintains official records of births and deaths in the area,
ensuring proper documentation and registration.
The Ward Councillor and Administrative Staff
 Rehana's Curiosity:
 Rehana asks Yasmin Khala who decides where parks should be located and whether she made
such decisions while working in the Municipal Corporation.
 Yasmin Khala's Role:
 Yasmin Khala explains that she worked in the accounts office, specifically handling pay slips,
not in decision-making roles.
 Ward Councillors:
 Cities are divided into wards, and each ward elects a Ward Councillor.
  Ward Councillors make decisions on local issues such as the location of parks, hospitals, and
other public amenities.
 Committees:
 Groups of Ward Councillors form committees to debate and make decisions on complex city-
wide issues like improving bus stands, cleaning markets, and maintaining drains.
 These committees focus on specific areas like water supply, garbage collection, and street
lighting.
 Ward-Level Issues:
 Residents of a ward can contact their Councillor for local problems, such as dangerous
electrical wires.
 The Councillor helps residents connect with the appropriate authorities to resolve these issues.
 Implementation by Administrative Staff:
 While Councillors make decisions, the Commissioner and administrative staff, who are
appointed (not elected), are responsible for implementing them.
 Budgeting:
 All Ward Councillors meet to create a budget, which determines how money is spent across the
city.
 Councillors advocate for their wards to ensure their specific needs are addressed.
 Municipal Corporation Workforce:
 The city’s work is divided among different departments, including water, garbage collection,
gardens, and roads.
 Yasmin Khala worked in the accounts department of the sanitation division.
 Garbage Collection:
 Jehangir asks where the collected garbage goes.
 Yasmin Khala explains that garbage was often left uncollected in the past, causing health issues
and discouraging children from playing in the streets.

Municipal Corporation:

Elected Ward Elected Ward

Ward Ward Councillor Councillor

City
Elected Ward Elected Ward
Ward Ward Councillor Councillor

 A city has many  A city is divided into  Every ward conducts

people living smaller parts called elections to elect one
together. wards. Ward Councillor.
 They have many  This is done for better  People of the voting
kinds of issues that administration and age vote to elect a
need to be election of people who Ward Councillor.
addressed. can be a part of the  All ward councillors
 For this, a municipal corporation. together form a
municipal municipal corporation.
corporation is
formed.
The administrative structure of a Municipal Corporation:
1. Election and Tenure:
 Members of the Municipal Corporation are elected by the people for a term of five years.
 The city is divided into different wards for election purposes.
 Elected members are called Ward Councillors or simply Councillors.
2. Aldermen:
 Members elect aldermen, who are experts in different fields.
 Aldermen become part of the Municipal Corporation.
3. Mayor:
 The head of the Municipal Corporation is known as the Mayor or Mahapaur.
 The Mayor is elected by the members or Councillors.
 The Mayor presides over the meetings of the Municipal Corporation.
 A Deputy Mayor is also appointed to act in the Mayor’s absence.

4. Municipal Commissioner:
 The administrative head is the Municipal Commissioner, also known as Nagar Ayukta.
 The Municipal Commissioner is a permanent employee of the state government.
 Responsibilities include implementing the decisions of the Municipal Corporation and
preparing the annual budget.
 The Commissioner is assisted by officers from various departments like health, transport,
civil works, education, and water supply.

5. Departments Under Municipal Commissioner:

 The Municipal Corporation is divided into various departments, each focusing on a specific
area of public service:
o Water Supply Department: Manages the supply and quality of water reaching homes.
o Electricity Department: Ensures continuous electricity supply, addresses power issues,
and maintains electrical infrastructure, including street lights.
o Sanitation Department: Maintains cleanliness, addresses garbage disposal, and
manages drainage systems to ensure hygienic living conditions.

6. Standing Committee:
 This committee is responsible for making all policy decisions within the Municipal
Corporation.
 Separate committees are established for specific areas like water supply, health, and
transport to manage work in these sectors.
 The Nigam also forms Ward Committees, consisting of representatives from two or more
wards, to oversee localized issues.
7. Committees:
 Daily activities of the Municipal Corporation are managed through various committees,
each focusing on specific functions and responsibilities.
How the Municipal Corporation generates revenue:
Need for Funds: Providing and managing various public services requires a significant amount of
money.
Sources of Revenue: The Municipal Corporation collects money through various taxes and
charges.
Property Tax:
o Homeowners are required to pay property tax.
o Property tax is based on the size of the property; larger houses incur higher taxes.
o Property taxes account for about 25-30% of the Municipal Corporation’s revenue.
Service Taxes:
o Taxes are also levied for specific services like water supply.
o People pay for these services based on usage or property type.
Education and Other Amenity Taxes:
o Taxes are collected to fund educational facilities and other amenities provided by the
Municipal Corporation.
Business Taxes:
o Owners of businesses such as hotels or shops are required to pay taxes for operating their
establishments.
Entertainment Tax:
o A tax is applied to tickets for entertainment activities like movies.
o This type of tax is paid by a broader population, not just property owners.
Revenue Diversity:
o While property taxes mainly come from wealthier residents, general taxes are collected
from a wider segment of the population, contributing to the overall revenue of the
Municipal Corporation.

A Community Protest:
1. Unhappiness in the Community:
o The women in the community were unhappy about the lack of garbage collection in
their locality.
o They sought advice from Yasmin Khala, who suggested contacting an officer, though
unsure of how long it would take.
2. Gangabai's Leadership:
o Gangabai proposed that the group should approach the Ward Councillor since they had
elected him.
o She organized a small group of women to protest in front of the Councillor's house.
3. Interaction with the Ward Councillor:
o The women, led by Gangabai, shouted slogans outside the Councillor's house.
o The Councillor came out, listened to their concerns, and promised to accompany them
to meet the Municipal Commissioner the next day.
4. Petition and Preparations:
o The Councillor asked Gangabai to get a petition signed by all adults in the locality,
documenting the garbage collection issue.
o He suggested taking the local sanitation engineer with them to support their case.
5. Community Mobilization:
o Children ran from house to house collecting signatures for the petition.
o The next morning, a large group of women, along with the Ward Councillor and the
sanitation engineer, went to the Municipal Corporation office.
6. Meeting with the Commissioner:
o The Commissioner initially made excuses, citing a lack of trucks.
o Gangabai pointed out that there were enough trucks to collect garbage from rich
localities, leaving the Commissioner at a loss for words.
7. Threat of Further Protest:
 o Gangabai warned the Commissioner that if the issue was not resolved within two days,
a larger protest would occur.
o The Commissioner promised to take care of the issue immediately.
8. Resolution:
o Although the streets were not cleaned within two days, a larger and louder protest
eventually led to more regular sanitation services in the locality.
9. Community Respect:
o The children, who had sensed that Gangabai was respected and loved, understood why
after hearing the story.
o They thanked Yasmin Khala for answering their questions.
10. Garbage Sorting Initiative:
o Rehana asked if the idea of sorting garbage into two dustbins at home was Gangabai's.
o Khala clarified that it was the Municipal Corporation's suggestion to help keep the
streets clean by reducing their workload.
11. Conclusion:
o The children, smiling, returned to Khala's house after realizing the street seemed darker
than usual.

What has changed since Khala retired?

Shift to Sub-Contracting:
 In recent times, many Municipal Corporations across the country have started hiring private
contractors to collect and process garbage to save money.
 This practice is known as sub-contracting.
Impact on Workers:
 The work that was previously done by government employees is now being handled by private
companies.
 Contract workers are paid less than government workers, and their jobs are often temporary.
Job Safety and Security:
 Collecting garbage is a dangerous job.
 These contract workers often do not have access to proper safety measures.
 If they get injured while working, they are not adequately cared for or compensated.
Yasmin Khala’s Perspective:
 Yasmin Khala did not mention these changes to the children, implying that the situation for
workers has worsened since her retirement.

Important Terms
Municipal corporation an urban governing body in the cities that have population over
10 lakh
Municipality an urban governing body in the cities with population less than 10 lakh and
more than 20,000
City council an urban governing body in small towns with population lesser than 20,000
people.
Taxes: - taxes are the sources of funds for municipal corporations. The country’s citizens
pay government taxes on various goods and services. The administration then utilises the
tax amount for the development of the district or the city.
Subcontracting: - Subcontracting happens when the government transfers some of its
work to various private companies.
Wards: - the cities are divided into smaller areas called wards for better administration.
Each ward is assigned a councillor responsible for managing the ward.

Surat Plague Scare (1994): Key Points

Context: Surat was one of the dirtiest cities in India before 1994.
Garbage Issue: Improper disposal by residents and irregular collection by the Municipal
Council worsened sanitation.
Plague Outbreak: The plague scare led to fatalities and a mass exodus of over 300,000
people.
Aftermath: The crisis prompted a citywide cleanup, making Surat one of the cleanest
cities in India today.
To this date Surat continues to remain the second cleanest city in India after Chandigarh.