Municipalities & 74th Amendment — Set 2

Correct Answer: B. 2015

Smart Cities Mission was launched in June 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the objective of promoting cities that provide core infrastructure and quality of life to citizens. The mission selected 100 smart cities through a competitive process. Key features include area-based development (retrofitting, redevelopment), pan-city smart solutions using technology, and citizen participation.

Correct Answer: B. Directly elected by citizens or elected by councillors depending on state law

The Mayor of a Municipal Corporation may be directly elected by citizens or indirectly elected by the elected councillors, depending on the state's municipal law. States like Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh have adopted direct election of Mayors. Most other states elect Mayor through councillors. The Mayor presides over the General Body of the corporation.

Correct Answer: A. Article 243-Y

Article 243-Y of the Constitution deals with Finance Commission for Municipalities. It states that the Finance Commission constituted under Article 243-I (for Panchayats) shall also review the financial position of municipalities and make recommendations. The State Finance Commission thus reviews finances of both Panchayats and Municipalities and recommends distribution of taxes and grants.

Correct Answer: A. 74th Amendment, 1992

The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 added Part IX-A to the Constitution, which contains provisions relating to municipalities and urban local bodies. This amendment gave constitutional status to urban local government and mandated elections to municipalities. It came into force in 1993 and required states to devolve powers to urban local bodies. The amendment also established State Finance Commissions and District Planning Committees.

Correct Answer: A. Nagar Panchayat, Municipal Council, Municipal Corporation

The 74th Constitutional Amendment recognized three types of municipalities: Nagar Panchayat (for transitional areas moving from rural to urban), Municipal Council (for smaller urban areas), and Municipal Corporation (for larger urban areas). States were required to constitute these bodies by law. The specific names may vary by state but the three-tier urban local body structure is universal. These bodies are responsible for urban planning, infrastructure, and service delivery in their respective areas.

Correct Answer: A. 5 years

Under the 74th Constitutional Amendment, elected municipal councillors serve a term of five years. Elections must be conducted before the expiry of the term, and if a municipality is dissolved, elections must be held within six months. Reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and women is also mandated. The State Election Commission is responsible for conducting elections to urban local bodies.

Correct Answer: A. It lists 18 functions that may be transferred to municipalities under the 74th Amendment

The 12th Schedule was added to the Constitution by the 74th Amendment and lists 18 functions that may be transferred to municipalities. These functions include urban planning, regulation of land use, planning for economic and social development, roads, public health, education, poverty alleviation programs, and others. While the Schedule lists these functions, it is up to each state to decide which functions to actually devolve to its urban local bodies. This creates variation in the actual powers of municipalities across states.

Correct Answer: A. A committee to prepare a development plan for metropolitan areas with population over 1 million

The 74th Constitutional Amendment provides for the constitution of a Metropolitan Planning Committee in every metropolitan area with a population of one million or more. The MPC is responsible for preparing a draft development plan for the metropolitan area as a whole, integrating plans of municipalities and panchayats. Two-thirds of its members should be elected from the elected members of municipalities and panchayats in the area. The MPC is an important mechanism for integrated urban-regional planning.

Correct Answer: A. A committee constituted in municipalities with population over 3 lakh to facilitate local governance

The 74th Constitutional Amendment mandates the constitution of Ward Committees in municipalities with a population of three lakhs or more. Ward Committees are to be constituted in one or more wards within a municipal area to bring decision-making closer to the grassroots level. The composition, territorial area, powers, and functions of Ward Committees are determined by the state legislature. Ward Committees are meant to be the urban equivalent of village Gram Sabhas.

Correct Answer: A. To recommend distribution of taxes, duties, and grants between state and urban local bodies

The State Finance Commission (SFC) is a constitutional body mandated by both the 73rd and 74th Amendments to review the financial position of panchayats and municipalities and make recommendations regarding the distribution of net proceeds of taxes, duties, tolls, and fees between the state and local bodies. The SFC is constituted every five years. Its recommendations guide the state government in deciding what share of state revenues should go to urban and rural local bodies to enable them to function effectively.