Chapter 12: Grassroots Democracy – Part 3: Local Government in Urban Areas
Who keeps a city running: its water, roads, lights and garbage collection? In this chapter we see how cities fit into India's system of governance and how urban local bodies and citizens work together.
In this chapter you will
- explain participatory democracy in cities
- compare rural and urban local government
- name the types of urban local bodies and their work
- describe how citizens can help their city
Topics
- Governing Our Cities NCERT 12.1
Participatory democracy lets citizens take part at every level, from village and city to nation.
- Urban Local Bodies NCERT 12.2
Urban local bodies: Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats; cities are divided into wards.
Key words
- Urban local body
- the local government of a town or city
- Ward
- a small unit of a city that elects a councillor
- Municipal Corporation
- the local body of a very large city
- Mayor
- the head of a Municipal Corporation
- Participatory democracy
- citizens actively taking part in governance
Summary
- Local government in cities is run by urban local bodies, part of participatory democracy.
- Cities are divided into wards; corporations are led by a Mayor.
- Urban bodies provide water, sanitation, roads and lights; citizens help by doing their part.