Chapter 12 Grassroots Democracy - Part 3: Local Government in Urban Areas - Exercises

Chapter 12: Grassroots Democracy - Part 3: Local Government in Urban Areas

Solutions for In-text Questions, Activities, End-of-Chapter Questions, and Projects

Standard 6 Social Science

1. Page 173: Important Questions

1. What are urban local bodies and state their functions.

Answer: Urban local bodies (like municipalities or municipal corporations) are democratic institutions that administer urban areas, in which representatives (corporators or councilors) elected by the local people work. Their main functions are:

  • Providing pure drinking water to the people.
  • Building and maintaining roads.
  • Arranging street lights.
  • Waste disposal and maintaining public cleanliness.
  • Public health, disease control, and setting up hospital facilities.
  • Registering births and deaths.

2. Why are they important in governance and democracy?

Answer: Local problems can be best solved by the local people themselves. Urban local bodies give people the opportunity to participate directly in the administration of their own area. These institutions strengthen democracy at the grassroots level and decentralize power, making governance more transparent, effective, and accountable to the people.

2. Page 177: Let's Find Out

Question: As a responsible citizen, can you think of any other things for the maintenance of your city area?

Answer: As a responsible citizen, the following things can be considered for the maintenance of our area:

  • Protecting public property and not causing any kind of damage to it.
  • Always throwing garbage in the dustbin and avoiding the use of plastic.
  • Preventing the wastage of water and electricity.
  • Planting maximum trees and conserving the environment.
  • Following the rules of local self-government institutions and paying property tax or water tax on time.

3. Page 181: Questions, Activities, and Projects (Exercises)

1. You are going to school with your friend and on the way you see a broken water pipe, from which a lot of water is being wasted. So what will you do in such a situation?

Answer: In such a situation, I will take immediate action. First of all, I will inform the people around. After that, I will immediately contact my teacher, parents, or local corporator (councilor). If possible, I will call the helpline number of the water works department of the municipality or municipal corporation or register an online complaint and give the exact address of the broken pipeline so that it can be repaired as soon as possible and water wastage can be stopped.

2. Invite a member of your nearest urban local body to your class. Discuss their roles and responsibilities. Prepare a list of questions to ask them so that a discussion can be held.

Activity Outline: Invite a local corporator to the school under the guidance of the teacher. For discussion, students should prepare the following list of questions:

  • What are your main responsibilities as a representative in your ward?
  • What procedure do you follow to solve the common problems of citizens (like bad roads, drainage problems)?
  • Where are the funds obtained for the development works of the local body?
  • As a student, how can we help you and the municipality in keeping our city clean and beautiful?

3. Make a list of what tasks your family or neighborhood elders expect from the institutions.

Project Outline (List prepared by asking elders):

  • Regular and pure drinking water should be available.
  • Roads should be pothole-free and the traffic system should be well-organized.
  • There should be a system for daily garbage collection and cleaning in the area.
  • Street lights should work properly.
  • There should be a good government hospital nearby, parks for children, and good seating arrangements for the elderly.

4. Make a list of the characteristics of a good urban local body.

Answer: The characteristics of a good and ideal urban local body are as follows:

  • Quick, transparent, and effective resolution of citizens' problems.
  • Excellent maintenance of basic facilities (water, drainage, roads, lights).
  • Highest priority to cleanliness, environment, and public health.
  • Proper and transparent use of citizens' taxes.
  • Participation of local people in urban planning and development works.

5. What similarities and differences are seen between the Panchayati Raj system in rural areas and local bodies in urban areas?

Answer:

Similarities:

  • Both institutions are formed by representatives elected by the local people in a democratic manner.
  • The main objective of both is to fulfill the basic needs (water, roads, cleaning) of the people at the local level.
  • Both have a provision for reserved seats for women and backward classes.

Differences:

  • In rural areas, there is a Panchayati Raj system (Gram Panchayat, Taluka Panchayat, District Panchayat), whereas in urban areas, there is a municipality (Nagarpalika) or municipal corporation (Mahanagarpalika).
  • The working area of rural panchayats is mostly linked more with agriculture, irrigation, and animal husbandry, while urban institutions are linked with facilities on a larger scale like drainage systems, urban planning, bridges, and fire brigades.
  • The budget and income sources of urban local bodies are much larger compared to rural panchayats.