Topic Details (Notes format)

74th Amendment: Urban Local Bodies

Subject: Polity

Book: Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth

Explains the constitutional status granted to municipalities—Nagar Panchayats, Municipal Councils, and Municipal Corporations. It mandates regular elections, reservations, State Finance Commissions, and District Planning Committees. Municipalities shoulder responsibilities such as urban planning, water management, fire services, and poverty alleviation. The Act aims to boost self-governance in cities, bridging the gap between the state and local communities. However, municipal bodies often depend on state or central funds, limiting fiscal autonomy. Effective decentralization requires capacity-building, better revenue sources (property tax reforms), and synergy with metropolitan planning. The 74th Amendment is crucial for sustainable, inclusive urbanization in India’s rapidly expanding cities.

Practice Questions

Which of the following is NOT a power of the Rajya Sabha?

भारतीय न्यायपालिका की स्वतंत्रता का मूल सिद्धांत क्या है?

Which of the following is the highest judicial authority in India?

राज्यसभा के सदस्यों का चुनाव किस प्रकार से होता है?

Which of the following provisions of the Indian Constitution is related to the financial emergency?

न्यायिक स्वतंत्रता सुनिश्चित करने के लिए किस सिद्धांत का पालन किया जाता है?

राज्यों के बीच शक्तियों का संतुलन किस सिद्धांत पर आधारित है?

What is the maximum number of judges in the Supreme Court of India?

Which article of the Indian Constitution deals with the creation of the All India Services?

Who has the authority to dissolve the Lok Sabha?