Problems of Municipal Administration in India
History of Municipal administration in India
The earliest evidence of local management of civic administration in India can be traced to Indus Valley civilization (around 2300 B.C) which was essentially an urban civilization. Commenting on the Indus Valley civilization, Golden Childe says “well planned streets and a magnificent system of drains, regularly cleared out; reflect the vigilance of some regular municipal government”. The nature of society and governance at local level underwent a significant change over the changing course of Indian history. It is beyond the scope of this paper to trace the process of this evolution and therefore one move straight to the modern civic administration in urban India. The first municipal Corporation in modern India was set up in the former Presidency town of Madras in 1688. This was followed by Municipal Corporations of Calcutta in 1876 and Bombay in 1888. Lord Ripon (1880-84), the Viceroy of India introduced an element of elections in the Municipal Corporation and is known as “father of Local Self-government in India” for his pioneering work in this direction. The reforms introduced by Lord Ripon continue to have its traces in the existing local self governments.
Municipalities in India came into being in the British era. The first of the municipalities in India was in the city of Chennai as the Municipal Corporation in the year 1688. This was followed by the setting up of the subsequent municipalities in India in the states of Mumbai and Kolkata. Presidents of these municipalities in India were elected by Lord Mayo's Resolution of 1870.
The present structure and configuration of the municipalities of India came into being after Lord Ripon's Resolution of 1882. The basic structure of the municipalities in India has not changed much since 1882. In the year 1992, the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act came into being and brought with it specifications regarding the responsibilities and the powers of the municipal units in
The earliest evidence of local management of civic administration in India can be traced to Indus Valley civilization (around 2300 B.C) which was essentially an urban civilization. Commenting on the Indus Valley civilization, Golden Childe says “well planned streets and a magnificent system of drains, regularly cleared out; reflect the vigilance of some regular municipal government”. The nature of society and governance at local level underwent a significant change over the changing course of Indian history. It is beyond the scope of this paper to trace the process of this evolution and therefore one move straight to the modern civic administration in urban India. The first municipal Corporation in modern India was set up in the former Presidency town of Madras in 1688. This was followed by Municipal Corporations of Calcutta in 1876 and Bombay in 1888. Lord Ripon (1880-84), the Viceroy of India introduced an element of elections in the Municipal Corporation and is known as “father of Local Self-government in India” for his pioneering work in this direction. The reforms introduced by Lord Ripon continue to have its traces in the existing local self governments.
Municipalities in India came into being in the British era. The first of the municipalities in India was in the city of Chennai as the Municipal Corporation in the year 1688. This was followed by the setting up of the subsequent municipalities in India in the states of Mumbai and Kolkata. Presidents of these municipalities in India were elected by Lord Mayo's Resolution of 1870.
The present structure and configuration of the municipalities of India came into being after Lord Ripon's Resolution of 1882. The basic structure of the municipalities in India has not changed much since 1882. In the year 1992, the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act came into being and brought with it specifications regarding the responsibilities and the powers of the municipal units in