Analyse the role of local bodies in providing good governance at the local level and discuss the pros and cons of merging rural local bodies with urban local bodies.

Introduction

The 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Indian Constitution, along with Articles 243G and 243W, respectively provide a constitutional mandate for local self-governance in rural and urban areas.

Role of Local Bodies in providing Good Governance:

• Decentralised Governance and service delivery:
  • Local bodies are crucial for delivering essential services such as water supply, sanitation and infrastructure development at the grassroots level.
    • Eg. PRIs are instrumental in implementing programs like MGNREGA, which promotes employment and asset creation in rural areas.
• Democratic participation and accountability:
  • Local bodies foster citizen participation through Gram Sabhas and ward committees, allowing local communities to have a say in decision-making processes and ensuring government accountability.
• Efficient resource and fiscal management:
  • Local governments can better understand and manage local resources and budget allocations to address specific community needs.
    • Eg. In Kerala, local governments have successfully used the decentralized planning model to manage resources for health and education sectors, achieving positive outcomes in public health services.

Pros and Cons of Merging Rural and Urban Local Bodies:

• Pros:
  • Benefit for peripheral villages→merger will help peripheral villages to develop as rural laws cannot shape urban growth sustainably
  • Help entire settlement to emerge as homogenous entity→integrated urban planning
  • Administrative efficiency
  • Economics of scale→financial efficiency
  • Address Rural-urban migration
• Cons:
  • Tax rise for rural people
  • Employment issue-villagers not to get benefit under MGNREGA
  • Loss of administrative approachability due to centralization
  • Village leaders often see mergers to result in loss of political power. 
  • Different set of challenges of 

Example: Residents of villages in Pudukottai district and those surrounding Manapparai near Tiruchi have opposed the proposed merger of the panchayats with the urban local bodies in the respective towns.

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