The Eleventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, introduced by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, delineates the functions and responsibilities of urban local bodies (ULBs) or municipalities.
Here’s a breakdown of its constitutional dimensions:
In the context of intra-tier responsibilities, these functions are divided among different levels of urban local governance, including municipal corporations, municipal councils, and nagar panchayats. Here’s a breakdown of the intra-tier responsibilities outlined in the Eleventh Schedule:
- Municipal Corporation: Municipal corporations, which govern larger cities, bear the primary responsibility for providing essential urban services and amenities. Their intra-tier responsibilities include:
- Urban Planning: Formulating and implementing development plans, zoning regulations, and building by-laws to regulate urban growth and development.
- Urban Infrastructure: Development and maintenance of essential infrastructure such as roads, bridges, water supply systems, drainage, and sewerage networks.
- Public Health and Environment: Ensuring sanitation, solid waste management, pest control, and pollution control measures to safeguard public health and environmental quality.
- Urban Amenities: Provision and maintenance of parks, gardens, playgrounds, street lighting, and other amenities to enhance the quality of urban life.
- Economic Development: Promoting economic activities, trade, commerce, and industries within the city to stimulate growth and create employment opportunities.
- Municipal Council: Municipal councils, which govern smaller urban areas, have similar responsibilities to municipal corporations but on a smaller scale. Their intra-tier responsibilities include:
- Basic Urban Services: Providing basic urban services such as water supply, street lighting, sanitation, and solid waste management to residents.
- Infrastructure Development: Construction and maintenance of local roads, drains, culverts, and other infrastructure facilities to meet the needs of the population.
- Social Welfare: Implementing welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of society, including housing for the economically weaker sections and support for education and healthcare.
- Market Regulation: Regulating markets, street vendors, hawkers, and small businesses to ensure orderly urban growth and consumer protection.
- Disaster Management: Preparedness and response to natural disasters, emergencies, and other contingencies affecting the municipality.
- Nagar Panchayat: Nagar panchayats, which govern transitional areas undergoing urbanization, have limited functions compared to municipal corporations and councils. Their intra-tier responsibilities include:
- Local Governance: Establishing and maintaining local self-government institutions to facilitate citizen participation and decision-making at the grassroots level.
- Basic Services Provision: Ensuring the provision of basic services such as water supply, sanitation, street lighting, and drainage to residents.
- Community Development: Promoting community development initiatives, including welfare programs, poverty alleviation schemes, and infrastructure projects.
- Revenue Generation: Mobilizing resources through local taxes, fees, and levies to finance municipal activities and development projects.
- Regulatory Functions: Enforcing municipal laws, regulations, and by-laws related to land use, construction, public health, and safety within the jurisdiction.
In summary, the Eleventh Schedule outlines the intra-tier responsibilities of urban local bodies, reflecting their diverse roles in urban governance and service delivery. These responsibilities are distributed among municipal corporations, municipal councils, and nagar panchayats based on the size and nature of the urban area they govern, with the aim of promoting effective, efficient, and responsive urban governance across India.