Municipal Corporations
Municipalities are set up in towns. Big cities are constituted by what is known as municipal corporations, which are controlled by elected bodies consisting of people’s representatives. The municipal chairperson is the political head of the municipality and the officer is called the mayor.
These bodies of local governance are the largest experiment of democracy and have around 36 lakh elected representatives in the panchayat and municipalities. Constitutional status for the local government has helped to deepen democracy and also increase women’s participation and voice in a democracy. However, gram sabhas are not held regularly and many states have not given enough power to local governance. We are still a long way toward the ideal of self-government.
Decentralisation in India
When the power from the Central and State governments, when given to the local government, it is called decentralization. The basic idea behind decentralization is that a huge number of issues and problems are best settled only at the local level. It is also easier for people to directly participate in the decision-making process at the local level. Democratic participation is possible through decentralization.
A major step towards decentralisation was taken in 1992 and rural local government came to be known as Panchayati Raj. The local government structure is present at the district level.
Table of Content
- Decentralisation in India
- Major Step Towards Decentralisation
- Gram Panchayat
- Municipal Corporations
- Importance of Decentralisation
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