Municipalities & 74th Amendment — Set 13

Correct Answer: A. Part IX-A Articles 243P to 243ZG added by the 74th Amendment

Part IX-A Articles 243P to 243ZG added by the 74th Amendment specifies provision of amenities such as parks, gardens, and playgrounds as municipal functions. Part IX-A deals comprehensively with municipalities and urban local bodies. The 12th Schedule attached to Part IX-A lists 18 functions including maintenance of parks and playgrounds. This constitutional recognition elevated urban governance from a state policy matter to a constitutional mandate.

Correct Answer: A. Multiple overlapping agencies governing different functions in the same urban area without coordination

Multiple overlapping agencies governing different functions in the same urban area without coordination is the urban governance challenge called fragmentation. In Indian cities water supply may be handled by a utility, transport by a separate authority, land development by a development authority, and basic services by the municipality all operating independently. This fragmentation reduces accountability, creates coordination failures, and undermines integrated urban planning. The 74th Amendment sought to address this by making municipalities the focal point of urban governance.

Correct Answer: A. A policy document providing strategic guidance for India's urban development towards sustainable inclusive cities

The National Urban Policy Framework 2018 is a policy document providing strategic guidance for India's urban development towards sustainable inclusive cities. It was prepared by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and articulates a vision for urban transformation. The framework covers themes like land management, housing, urban mobility, environment, governance, and finance. It is meant to guide state governments in formulating their own urban policies and aligning with national priorities.

Correct Answer: A. 12th Schedule of the Constitution

The 12th Schedule of the Constitution includes public health services including hospitals as a potential function of municipalities. Urban Primary Health Centres and dispensaries run by municipalities provide basic health services to urban residents. The National Urban Health Mission strengthens urban primary healthcare through municipalities. Municipalities also play a role in disease prevention, food safety inspection, and maintaining sanitary conditions that prevent public health emergencies.

Correct Answer: A. A government vision for making India a developed nation by 2047 including transforming Indian cities

Viksit Bharat is a government vision for making India a developed nation by 2047 including transforming Indian cities into world-class livable sustainable and economically vibrant centres. It is the centenary of independence vision. In urban development it builds on missions like Smart Cities, AMRUT, PM Awas Yojana, and focuses on improved urban infrastructure, services, and quality of life. Urban local bodies are key implementers of this vision at the grassroots level.

Correct Answer: A. They represent wards, deliberate on policy, pass budgets, and provide oversight of the municipal administration

Elected municipal councillors represent wards, deliberate on policy, pass budgets, and provide oversight of the municipal administration. They form the legislative and deliberative body of the Municipal Corporation participating in council meetings, debating and passing annual budgets, making bylaws, approving development plans. They also represent citizen concerns and grievances to the administration. The interplay between elected councillors and the appointed Municipal Commissioner determines the quality of local governance.

Correct Answer: A. Courts except through election petition before appropriate authority

Article 243-ZG bars courts except through election petition before appropriate authority from entertaining any challenge to the validity of a municipal election law, election, or electoral roll. This provision protects municipal elections from being challenged through ordinary civil suits. It mirrors the analogous provision for state legislative assembly and parliamentary elections. Election disputes must follow the specific election petition procedure established under state municipal law.

Correct Answer: A. A continuous urban spread comprising a core city together with its contiguous outgrowths and nearby towns

Urban Agglomeration refers to a continuous urban spread comprising a core city together with its contiguous outgrowths and nearby towns. The Census defines it as a core city with population of at least 50,000 together with its urban outgrowths and adjacent municipalities that have grown together. Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata are India's largest urban agglomerations. The concept is important for measuring the true extent of urban development and for planning across multiple municipal boundaries.

Correct Answer: A. In proportion to their population in the municipal area as per Article 243-T

In proportion to their population in the municipal area as per Article 243-T is how seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in municipal elections. States also have discretion to reserve seats for other backward classes. The reserved seats are rotated among different wards after each election to prevent permanently disadvantaging particular wards. This ensures proportional political representation of marginalized communities in urban governance.

Correct Answer: A. Municipal Council is for smaller urban areas while Municipal Corporation is for larger cities with greater population

Municipal Council is for smaller urban areas while Municipal Corporation is for larger cities with greater population. Municipal Corporations have greater financial powers, more staff, and broader administrative authority. The specific population thresholds for each category are defined by state governments. The three-tier structure of Nagar Panchayat, Municipal Council, and Municipal Corporation reflects the varying scale of urban settlements across India.