Local Government Administration

The role of urban local bodies in general can be understood from the functions they discharge. Usually, the Municipal Acts contain long lists of municipal functions, but in actual practice the large majority of municipal bodies have very few positive service functions. In general, the municipal corporations have more functions than the ordinary municipalities, but, generally speaking, municipal functions have expanded very little over the years. Not only that, the trend has been towards diverting the municipal bodies of their traditional functions and responsibilities. The debilitating condition of municipal bodies has become an excuse for the establishment and perpetuation of competitive urban local institutions like Improvement Trusts, Housing Boards and Water Supply and Sewerage Boards, and even as already stated for taking over of local functions by the state governments. It may not be an exaggeration to say that the state level-technical departments have consistently been thriving at the expense of municipal authorities, and they have been posing threat to the future growth and development of Municipal Self Government.