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Find Solutions for NCERT Class 6 Social Science Exploring Society: India and Beyond Chapter 12 Grassroots Democracy – Part 3 “Local Government in Urban Areas,’ here.
Text book Page no 174
The Big Questions?
1. What are urban local bodies and what are their functions?
Answer:
Urban Local Bodies are local government structures responsible for managing the governance and administration of cities and towns. They are decentralized because the power to make decisions is shared with the local people instead of being controlled by a central authority at the top.
Urban local bodies can be classified as shown below based on the size and population of the cities:
(i) Municipal Corporation (Mahanagar Nigam) for cities with population above 10 lakhs
(ii) Municipal Council (Nagar Palika) for urban centres with population between 1 and 10 lakhs
(iii) Nagar Panchayat for cities and towns with smaller populations.
The functions of Urban Local Bodies are as follows:
- Maintaining roads, water supply, and other infrastructure
- Managing burial grounds
- Collecting and disposing of garbage
- Checking that government schemes are being properly implemented
- Collecting local taxes and fines.
- They also watch for problems like water leaks, blocked drains, or broken roads and report them to the authorities.
- Helping with planning the economic and social development of the area
Urban local bodies allow citizens to decide what is best for their communities, helping everyone get involved in how their area is managed.
2. Why are they important in governance and democracy?
Answer:
Urban local bodies are important for running cities and towns because they let people make decisions about their own communities. They play a vital role in participatory democracy by
giving power to the people since citizens can elect their representatives and highlight local issues and problems.
These local bodies are more efficient and capable of resolving issues faster because they are closer to the people and understand their needs better.
The leaders who are elected by the people are accountable to them, so they must be honest and transparent in the management of public money and resources.
Citizens are encouraged to assume responsibility for the upliftment of their neighbourhoods and work with local bodies to improve urban life.
These local bodies are important because they help improve the everyday lives of people living in cities and towns, while also ensuring that democracy works at the local level.
Text Book page no 174
LET’S EXPLORE
Why is a city like Kolkata, Chennai or Mumbai more complex and diverse than a village or a town?
Answer:
A city like Kolkata, Chennai, or Mumbai is more complex and diverse than a village or town because of its larger size and dense population. Not only are there many more people, but they also come from diverse backgrounds, cultures, languages, and professions.
Metropolitan cities like Kolkata, Chennai or Mumbai offer more opportunities for education, jobs, and entertainment, so people from various parts of the country move there lured by these opportunities.
As a result, these cities do not have a homogenous population, but have a mix of cultures, traditions, and lifestyles, making them more diverse. Managing the needs and expectations of all these people living and working together in these cities requires a lot more complex measures than running a village or a small town.
With your classmates, make a list of diverse communities residing in any city that you are familiar with. How many were you able to list? What else do you observe in the list?
Answer:
With my classmates, I have made a list of different communities living in Kolkata, such as:
Bengali
Bihari
Odiya
Assamese
Tamil
Gujarati
Marathi
Punjabi
Marwari
Sindi
Parsi
Chinese
Hindu
Muslim
Christian
Buddhist
Jain
Sikh
Jew
Anglo-Indian
I made a list of 20 different ethnic, linguistic and religious communities.
Observations:
Each of the above communities has its own distinctive cultural practices, traditions, festivals, costumes and cuisines. So, the confluence of people from all over India to these cities contributes to the diversity, broadens and enriches the society.
Since India is a democracy, people from various cultures, linguistic groups, religions, races are free to practise their individual customs and mores.
Such diverse communities can live together in harmony because of the mutual respect they have for each other and because they share a common national identity.
Text book Page no 175
LET’S EXPLORE
In Fig. 12.2 above, what similarities and differences do you notice between the Panchayati Raj system and the urban local government?
Answer:
Similarities between Panchayati Raj System and Urban Local Government:
- Local Governance: Both the Panchayati Raj System and Urban Local Government systems address governance at the local level, where decisions on local issues are made for the growth and development of the community.
- Decentralization: Power is decentralized in both systems, local representatives elected by the people make decisions instead of a central authority.
- Elected Representatives: Both systems have representatives elected by the people living in those areas.
- Citizen Participation: People are encouraged to participate in both systems by means of voting, raising their concerns, and being actively involved in local decision-making.
- Multiple Levels: Each system works at multiple levels to perform different responsibilities (e.g., Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samity and Zila Panchayat in rural areas, Municipal Councils and Ward Committees in urban areas).
Differences between Panchayati Raj System and Urban Local Government:
- Geographical Area: The Panchayati Raj system is designed for rural areas, while the urban local government is adapted to the needs of towns and cities.
- Structure: In the Panchayati Raj system, the hierarchy includes Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, and Zila Parishad, whereas the urban local bodies include Municipal Corporations, and Ward Committees.
- Functions: Panchayats which are set in rural areas concentrate more on agriculture, village infrastructure, and rural development. Urban local bodies cater to towns and cities, so they focus on essential services like waste management, water supply, urban planning, and infrastructure in cities.
- Community Focus: Rural areas have a more homogenous population with shared lifestyles, while urban areas have people from diverse social, cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious backgrounds and occupations.
The above comparison helps us to understand how governance is tailored differently to meet the requirements of rural and urban communities
Text Book Page no 177
LET’S EXPLORE
Can you think of four or five more actions that responsible citizens might take to help their area of the city?
Answer:
Some actions which responsible citizens might take to help improve their area of the city are:
Citizens can join or organize neighbourhood clean-up drives to keep public spaces clean and litter-free and also hold meetings in different parts of each ward to sensitise people about littering and the need to keep the city clean.
Citizens should be proactive and report problems like potholes, defective streetlights, broken manhole covers, leaking water pipes, loose electric wires and damaged public property so that the authorities can fix them quickly.
Citizens must be alert and mindful of water usage and conserving electricity which would go a long way in reducing the city’s overall resource consumption.
Citizens should volunteer for local programs organised by the local ward office, such as health camps or tree-planting drives or help create awareness about reducing use of plastics, conserving water, and encourage the use of public transportation which contribute to the welfare of their neighbourhood.
These actions will demonstrate that citizens are responsible and take their duties seriously.
Text book Page no 179
THINK ABOUT IT
Indore in Madhya Pradesh has been awarded the cleanest city in India under the Swachh Survekshan government scheme for seven years in a row. What could have been the role of Indore citizens in this achievement?
Answer:
Indore’s citizens must have played a vital role in helping the city achieve the title of the cleanest city in India for seven consecutive years. Some ways in which they probably contributed are:
Adhering to Waste Segregation Rules: Citizens must have made sincere efforts to separate their waste into recyclable, non-recyclable, and organic waste, helping out the city to manage garbage efficiently.
Active Participation in Cleanliness Campaigns: People may have consistently taken part in city-wide cleanliness drives, regular sprucing up of public spaces, planting flowering shrubs and trees and encouraging others to do the same.
Alerting the Authorities about Issues: Indore’s residents must have reported garbage dumps, blocked drains, and other cleanliness-related problems promptly, enabling the authorities to address them quickly.
Avoiding Littering: Each and every citizen must have prevented littering in public spaces and advised all to use designated dustbins contributing to the overall cleanliness of the city.
Assisting Government Initiatives: By actively participating in government schemes like Swachh Bharat, the people of Indore have set and maintained high standards of cleanliness and hygiene.
Indore was able to achieve the feat of winning the title of “Cleanest City “seven years in a row because of the active involvement of the citizens who took pride making Indore a model city for cleanliness in India.
Text Book page no 179
LET’S EXPLORE
Select a few cities, from your State and from a few neighbouring States. These may include the city you live in or the city nearest to your town or village. How will you find out if they have a Nagar Panchayat, Municipal Council or Municipal Corporation? Draw a table with the names of the cities and the type of urban local body each of them has.
Answer:
In order to complete the task of identifying which urban local bodies exist in different cities and how you can tell what kind of Urban local body each of these cities have, here’s how we may proceed:
We can find out whether a city has a Nagar Panchayat, Municipal Council, or Municipal Corporation by searching the official website of State governments which have lists of urban bodies, such as those under the Department of Urban Development. Alternatively, we may contact the local administrative office or municipality in each city.
Each city also has an official website which would indicate whether it has a Nagar Panchayat, Municipal Council, or Municipal Corporation.
The information about a few cities like Delhi where I live and some cities in nearby states are recorded in the table below:
| City name | State | Type of Urban Local Body |
| New Delhi | Delhi | Municipal Corporation, Nagar Nigam |
| Indore | Madhya Pradesh | Municipal Corporation, Nagar Nigam |
| Gwalior | Madhya Pradesh | Municipal Corporation, Nagar Nigam |
| Amethi | Uttar Pradesh | Nagar Panchayat |
| Fatehpur Sikhri | Uttar Pradesh | Municipal Council , Nagar Palika |
| Agra | Uttar Pradesh | Municipal corporation, Nagar Nigam |
| Ballia | Uttar Pradesh | Municipal Council , Nagar Palika |
| Sirsa | Haryana | Municipal Council , Nagar Palika |
| Panipat | Haryana | Municipal corporation, Nagar Nigam |
| Jaipur | Rajasthan | Municipal corporation, Nagar Nigam |
| Palwal | Haryana | Nagar Panchayat |
| Sohna | Haryana | Nagar Panchayat |
How do urban local bodies fund their activities? (Hint: Look carefully at the pictures of the functions performed by Indore Municipal Corporation in Figure 12.4 on page 178.) Are some of them paid services?
Answer:
Urban local bodies like Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, and Nagar Panchayats fund their activities through various means, including:
Property Tax: One of the major sources of revenue is property tax.
Water Charges: Fees are levied for providing water supply to homes and businesses.
Garbage Collection Fees: Residents may be charged for waste collection and disposal.
Local Taxes and Fines: These may include taxes on advertisements including hoardings, entertainment, and trade licenses.
Paid Services: Some services, like maintaining public parks or markets, might have entry fees or rental fees.
Grants and Funds from the Government: Municipalities receive grants from the state and central government to fund public infrastructure and services.
Figure 12.4 of the textbook, has pictures showing various activities performed by the Indore Municipal Corporation, such as waste management, maintenance of public spaces, and water supply, many of which involve service charges or taxes to generate funds.
Text Book Page no 181
Questions, activities and projects
1. On your way to school, you and your friends notice that a water pipe is leaking. A lot of water is being wasted on account of the leak. What would you and your friends do in such a situation?
Answer:
If my friends and I noticed a water pipe leaking on our way to school, we would act quickly to prevent wastage of water. We would first take a picture or video of the leak so that we can explain the matter to the relevant authority.
Then, we would go to the nearest shop or building and ask the adults there if they know how to report a water pipe leakage problem. If they are able to guide us about whom to contact in such a situation, we would act accordingly. But if they are unable to help us, we would call our parents and ask them to report the matter to the Municipal Corporation along with the video and pictures.
We would request the people living nearby to collect and store the water instead of letting it be wasted.
After reaching school, we would tell our teacher about what we saw and how urgent it is to fix the leak before more water is wasted.
2. Invite a member of an urban local body near you to your class. Discuss with them their role and responsibilities. Prepare a set of questions to ask them so that the meeting is fruitful.
Answer:
“We would like to invite Mr Sharma, Ward Committee member, Ward no 148 of New Delhi Municipal Corporation to our class to discuss how urban local bodies function and their role in improving our community. As students, we are eager to learn about the responsibilities of local government and how we can contribute to making our city a better place.”
Here’s a list of questions that we can ask him when he visits our class to help make the discussion meaningful and informative:
Questions for a Member of Ward Committee:
- What are your responsibilities as a member of the urban local body?
- How do local bodies like Municipal Corporations or Councils function? What departments do they manage?
- Could you tell us about your daily activities and how you deal with the issues in your area?
- What are some of the specific challenges or problems you face in our ward?
- How do urban local bodies raise the funds needed for development projects? What services are paid for?
- How can ordinary citizens, especially students like us, help in improving our neighbourhood?
- What measures do you take to keep the city clean? How can people help with waste segregation?
- How do you ensure there is no wastage of water? How do you deal with water-related issues?
- Who prepares plans for the development of infrastructure such as roads, parks, or public transport in our area?
- How do you encourage public participation in decision-making? How can more people get involved?
- What measures do you take to encourage more women to participate in the activities of the ward?
These questions should help give us a deeper understanding of the role urban local bodies play in governance and city management.
3. Discuss with adult members of your family and neighbourhood, and make a list of their expectations from the urban local bodies.
Answer:
After discussing with adult members of my family and a few neighbours about their expectations from the urban local bodies, I have prepared a list of their common expectations from urban local bodies:
- Improvement in waste management by ensuring regular collection and scientific disposal of waste and better recycling systems.
- Improvement in air quality. Of late Delhi has been in the news for having such poor air quality that it is being compared to a gas chamber. The toxic fumes are affecting the health of citizens. Respiratory diseases like asthma are on the rise.
- Roads should be repaired and pot holes fixed without delay to ensure that accidents do not happen when speeding vehicles, especially two-wheelers hit the potholes.
- Clean and steady water supply should be supplied and leaks should be fixed promptly to prevent wastage of water which is a precious resource.
- Regular health camps should be organised and high standards of hygiene should be maintained.
- Street lights should be improved all over the city to improve safety.
- Public parks, public toilets, and common areas should be maintained well.
- All complaints regarding issues like water supply, leakage or broken drains should be acted upon promptly.
4. Make a list of characteristics of a good urban local body.
Answer:
Here is a list of characteristics of a good urban local body:
Efficiency: Provides regular and uninterrupted services like garbage collection, road maintenance, and water supply management.
Responsive to Complaints: Promptly resolves complaints and has a good grievance redressal mechanism.
Approachability: Should be easily approachable and be technology friendly so that they can be contacted online.
Transparency: Ensures that all decisions and actions are transparent and clear to the public. Regular updates on projects and expenditures are systematically provided.
Long term Planning: Plans for the city’s long-term development, including infrastructure, housing, and public transport.
Judicious Use of Funds: Utilises public funds responsibly and efficiently for the welfare of the community.
Environmental Focus: Encourages and promotes sustainable practices like recycling, planting trees, and reducing pollution.
Health and Safety: Ensures public health services, sanitation, and safety measures in public spaces.
Accountability: Elected representatives and officials are accountable to the public for their performance.
Inclusivity: Addresses the needs of all groups, including marginalized communities, and ensures that they have equal access to resources and services.
These qualities help create a smoothly functioning, citizen-friendly urban local body.
5. What are the similarities and differences between the Panchayati Raj system in rural areas and the urban local bodies?
Answer:
The Panchayati Raj system and urban local bodies both intend to bring governance closer to the people, but they function in different settings—rural and urban areas, respectively.
Similarities:
Decentralized Governance: Both systems empower local communities to make decisions about their areas.
Elected Representatives: In both systems, people elect members for 5 years to represent their interests and address local issues.
Public Services: They manage services like sanitation, water supply, and infrastructure to improve the quality of life.
Citizen Participation: Both involve citizens in governance, making it a form of participatory democracy.
Differences:
Scope: Panchayati Raj bodies operate in villages, so they focus mainly on agricultural development and rural infrastructure, while urban local bodies which cater to cities and towns, manage more complex urban needs like traffic, public transport, housing, and waste management.
Structure: The Panchayati Raj has a three-tier system (Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, and Zila Parishad), while urban local bodies consist of Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, or Nagar Panchayats depending on the population of the town or city.
Responsibilities: Urban local bodies deal with larger populations and a variety of issues, such as industrial regulation and urban planning, compared to rural areas.
Funds: Urban local bodies have more funds than Panchayat raj bodies.
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In Chapter 12 Grassroots Democracy – Part 3 “Local Government in Urban Areas” you’ll discover how local governments in cities and towns work to address the needs of urban communities by managing services like water supply, waste disposal, road maintenance, and public health.
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