Question 11GS2GS2

A critical appraisal of the outcomes of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act underlines the need for second-generation reforms to strengthen decentralisation of urban local governance in India. Discuss.

Main Body

74th Constitutional Amendment gave a constitutional status to urban local bodies.

Features: Mandatory elections, State election commission & State Finance Commission, Reservation women & SC, ST, Twelfth Schedule - 18 items, New Part IXA

Critical appraisal of outcomes:

1Poor revenue collection → GST subsumed Octroi tax, lower property tax (OECD), dependency on inter-governmental transfers (IGTs)

2Lack of devolution of funds & functions by state government

3Inability to handle crisis → RBI report - pandemic spread expansion by 40.1, advising revenues to take/with

4Lack of participation of Mayors in council took takes at State level

5IARC armested on overlapping & functions → dual effort or no effort eg → similar works of MCD & Delhi Govt on roads

PositivesIncreased representation of women, SC, ST, local delivery/services (eg Kerala - flattening curve), waste management, governance & localized yielded

Reforms:

1Funds: Allocate a share of LST to local urban local bodies → Implement 15th Finance Commission performance linked grants → Market based instruments (eg Municipality bonds)

2Clear demarcation of roles (eg Delhi MCD unification)

3Imposing infrastructure & digitization for service delivery. (Digital India & Smart cities)

4Raising local taxation avenues

5Revisit user fee charges system

Urban local bodies can help to Sustainable Development Goal of resilient cities (SDG 11)

218 words5 paragraphs

Examiner score

1.2/10

Open original scan

Page 21

Topper

Aayushi Bansal

AIR 72022

Subject & Paper

GS2GS2

Topic

Federal Structure - Functions, Responsibilities, Devolution of Powers and Finances

Local Self Government

Urban Local Bodies and Constitutional Amendment

Writing Stats

218

Total words

Paragraphs

analytical

Tone