Question.
"The states in India seem reluctant to empower urban local bodies both functionally as well as financially." Comment.
(UPSC 2023 General Studies Paper 2 (Main) Exam, Answer in 150 words)
Answer.
74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 mandates the States to create Urban Local Bodies ( ULB) for governance in urban areas. Urban Local Bodies are mentioned in Part IXA of the constitution, and Article 243 O to Article 2343 ZG and Schedule 12 are related to the governance of Urban Local Bodies. Some examples of Urban Local Bodies ( ULB) are Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, townships, and Cantonment Board.
Despite three decades of urban local bodies attaining constitutional validity,, they are not functionally and financially independent from the state government. Urban Local bodies are functionally and financially dependent on the State government and Central government. They lack sufficient resources and capacity to deal with urban problems, including urban floods, traffic, urban waste, slum problems, and lack of specialized human resources.
The states in India seem reluctant to empower urban local bodies both functionally as well as financially because of the following reasons:
Centralization of Power:
Historically, there has been a tendency toward centralization of power in India. State governments are often hesitant to devolve significant powers to local bodies. This attitude limits the autonomy and decision-making authority of Urban Local Bodies ( ULB).
Dependency on Central Funds:
Indian states are heavily dependent on funds from the Central Government. They themselves, are not financially independent, so how can they make Urban Local bodies functionally or financially independent.
The state governments do not want to lose control of state tax, therefore they do not want to share resources with Urban Local Bodies.
Inefficiency of Urban Local Bodies:
Urban local bodies lack specialized manpower to execute the developmental project efficiently. The performance of Urban Local bodies is not very encouraging, and this made bad image in the eyes of the State Government and also the public. Therefore, the state governments are reluctant to share much power and money with Urban Local Bodies.
Bureaucratic Resistance:
A Municipal Commissioner ( which is a Bureaucratic officer) often take major decision in Urban Local Bodies and it undermines the role elected representative ( that is Mayor) in decision-making. Bureaucratic resistance at the state level hinders the devolution of powers to Urban Local Bodies ( ULB).
Lack of Political Will:
Many States do not have a State finance commission to distribute the resources to Urban Local Bodies. State governments lack the commitment to decentralized governance.
In Summary, the states in India seem reluctant to empower urban local bodies both functionally and financially because they lack sufficient funds and political will and the performance of Urban Local Bodies is not encouraging much. Efforts to address these challenges include advocacy for decentralization, capacity building at the local level, and creating awareness about the benefits of empowering Urban Local Bodies. Decentralized governance is crucial for effective and responsive administration in Urban local bodies.
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