Local Government in Urban Areas

In urban areas, decentralised governance works through different urban local bodies, which fulfil various functions affecting the citizens’ lives. As with the rural context, urban local bodies have elected members who represent the local citizens.

Urban Local Bodies

Local government structures in urban areas are called ‘urban local bodies’. They are decentralised, which means that instead of operating under a central authority at the top, the local communities have a direct say on how their areas are managed or the issues they face. It is a mechanism for citizens living in an area to come together and take decisions about what is best for them.

Altogether, urban local bodies are responsible for a range of functions - helping take care of the infrastructure, maintaining the burial ground, garbage collection and disposal, checking the implementation of government schemes, collecting local taxes and fines, and so on. They also have some role in planning for the area’s economic and social development.

Cities with a population above 10 lakhs have a Municipal Corporation (also called ‘Mahanagar Nigam’) as their highest body. Between 1 and 10 lakhs, the highest body is a Municipal Council (also called ‘Nagar Palika’). Cities and towns with smaller populations have a Nagar Panchayat.