Local Government in Urban Areas Class 6 Notes
Local Government in Urban Areas Class 6 Notes
Local Government in Urban Areas Class 6 Notes
Good Governance in a Democracy
- Good governance empowers citizens to actively participate in their country’s functioning.
- This concept is broader than participatory democracy.
- The system works in rural contexts, but urban governance is more complex and diverse.
- The Indian system of governance, from rural to national, is depicted as a pyramid.
- The bottom of the pyramid is the local level, closer to the people, while the top is the national level.
Urban Local Bodies
- Decentralized local government structures in urban areas are known as ‘urban local bodies’.
- These bodies allow local communities to directly influence their areas’ management and issues.
- Cities and towns are divided into ‘wards’, which facilitate activities like health camps and campaigns against single-use plastics.
- Ward committees monitor and report any issues, such as water leaks, blocked drains, or damaged roads.
- Functions include infrastructure maintenance, burial ground maintenance, garbage collection and disposal, government scheme implementation, and local tax collection.
- They also plan for the area’s economic and social development.
- To function efficiently, citizens must show care and concern for their area.
- Chennai and Indore have a Municipal Corporation at the top of their urban bodies.
- Cities with a population above 10 lakhs have a Municipal Corporation, between 1 and 10 lakhs, a Municipal Council, and smaller cities and towns have a Nagar Panchayat.
IMPORTANT TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
1. Urban local bodies: Local government structures in urban areas are called urban local bodies. 2. Municipal Corporation: A type of urban local body that governs a city, if population above 10 lakhs.
3. Municipal Council : A type of urban local body that governs a city of population is between 1 to 10 lakhs.
4. Ward : A smaller administrative division within a city or town. It has its own elected representative.
5. Ward Committee: A group formed within a ward to facilitate local governance.
6. Participatory Democracy: In a democracy, good governance aims to empower the citizens so they may actively participate in their country’s functioning, whether it is at the rural, regional, urban, state or national level. This is participatory democracy.
7. Panchayat: The self government in a local village is called Panchayat.
8. Nagar Panchayat : A type of urban local bodies that govern smaller population.
9. Local Government: The administration of a specific local area, which is responsible for providing services and governance to the community. It operates at various levels, including urban and rural.
10. Community Participation: The involvement of local citizens in decision-making processes and activities that affect their lives and environment. This can include attending meetings, voicing concerns, and collaborating on local projects.
11. Decentralized Governance : A system where authority and responsibility are distributed among various levels of government. .
12. Infrastructure: The basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society, including transportation systems, communication networks, water supply and public facilities.
13. Local Taxes: Taxes levied by local government bodies to generate revenue for public services and infrastructure development within the community.
14. Government Schemes: The programs that the government launches to improve the quality of life of its people.
15. Social Development: Efforts aimed at improving the well-being of individuals in society so that they can reach to their to full potential.
16. Economic Development: Initiatives and policies aimed at improving the economic well¬being and quality of life for a community by creating jobs, increasing incomes, and fostering business growth.
17. Civic Responsibility: The duties and obligations of citizens to participate in their community and contribute to the common good, including voting, volunteering, and following local laws.