Municipalities & 74th Amendment — Set 12

Correct Answer: A. Item 2 of the 12th Schedule

Regulation of land use and construction of buildings is item 2 in the 12th Schedule of the Constitution. This gives municipalities the authority to regulate how land is used within their jurisdiction through zoning laws, development control regulations, and building bye-laws. Proper land use regulation prevents haphazard development, protects green and agricultural land, ensures adequate public spaces, and promotes orderly urban growth. Building plan approvals by municipalities are based on this constitutional function.

Correct Answer: A. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is responsible for implementing flagship urban development programs including Smart Cities Mission, AMRUT, PMAY-Urban, Swachh Bharat Mission Urban, and DAY-NULM at the national level. MoHUA was created in 2017 by bifurcating the earlier Ministry of Urban Development. It provides technical and financial support to states and Urban Local Bodies for urban development. The Ministry also formulates urban development policies and programs.

Correct Answer: A. The chief executive officer of a Municipal Corporation, usually an IAS officer, who heads the municipal administration

The Municipal Commissioner is the chief executive officer of a Municipal Corporation who heads the day-to-day administration and is typically an IAS officer appointed by the state government. The Commissioner implements decisions of the elected council, manages municipal staff, controls municipal finances, and oversees service delivery. In the dual governance structure of Indian cities the elected Mayor represents political authority while the Commissioner represents executive and administrative authority.

Correct Answer: A. Octroi was a local entry tax on goods abolished because it caused delays, corruption and was replaced by GST

Octroi was a local entry tax abolished because it caused delays, corruption and was replaced by GST. It was a tax levied by municipalities on goods brought into their limits for consumption sale or use. It created inefficiencies including long queues of trucks at checkpoints and increased logistics costs. Maharashtra abolished Octroi in 2017 and the introduction of GST in 2017 provided a nationally unified tax system. Municipalities lost Octroi revenue but receive compensation through state government grants.

Correct Answer: A. Item 14 of the 12th Schedule

Maintenance of parks and playgrounds is item 14 in the 12th Schedule of the Constitution. This function is important for the health, recreation, and well-being of urban residents particularly children and the elderly. Urban local bodies develop and maintain public parks, gardens, playgrounds, and open spaces within their jurisdiction. Many cities have seen reduction in green spaces due to urban development pressures making the municipal function of maintaining and expanding parks even more critical.

Correct Answer: A. Transfer of powers, functions, and finances from state government to urban local bodies for grassroots governance

Transfer of powers, functions, and finances from state government to urban local bodies for grassroots governance is what urban decentralization means in India. The 74th Constitutional Amendment created the constitutional framework for this by mandating devolution of 18 functions, establishing State Finance Commissions, and ensuring regular elections. However, the extent of decentralization varies widely across states as some have devolved more functions and resources than others.

Correct Answer: A. Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission JNNURM

Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) was launched in 2005 as the first large-scale central scheme for urban infrastructure development, covering 63 mission cities. It required cities to prepare City Development Plans and undertake governance reforms as conditions for funding. JNNURM ended in 2014 and was succeeded by AMRUT and Smart Cities Mission from 2015. JNNURM significantly improved urban water supply, sewerage, and transport in many cities.

Correct Answer: A. Article 243-ZA

Article 243-ZA provides for elections to municipalities and vests the superintendence, direction, and control of preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of elections in the State Election Commission. It mirrors Article 243-K for panchayat elections. The article ensures that municipal elections are free and fair under an independent constitutional authority. State Election Commissioners have security of tenure and cannot be removed except by impeachment-like proceedings.

Correct Answer: A. An annual cleanliness survey that ranks cities on sanitation, solid waste management, and open defecation free status

Swachh Survekshan is an annual cleanliness survey that ranks cities on sanitation, solid waste management, and open defecation free status. It is conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to assess and rank Indian cities on their performance under the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban. The survey evaluates parameters like ODF status, solid waste management, garbage-free status, and citizen feedback. Indore has won India's cleanest city title multiple times and the survey creates healthy competition among cities.

Correct Answer: A. A settlement that satisfies urban criteria in Census but does not have a statutory urban local body

A Census Town is a settlement that satisfies urban criteria in Census but does not have a statutory urban local body. It meets the Census criteria for urban classification but has not been officially constituted as a municipality by the state government. India has thousands of Census Towns that lack formal municipal governance despite having urban characteristics. In contrast, a statutory town has been officially constituted as a municipality by state government action.