URBAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN INDIA

Urban local governance in India has continued to be an important area of research for a long time. The governmental apathy towards urban local government did not create a conducive environment for the institution to grow and acquire credibility as an institution till the advent of 74th Constitution Amendment Act in 1992. Since the enactment of the Amendment Act, sincere efforts have been made to strengthen the local bodies and rejuvenate the institutional capacity by introducing desired reforms and giving them Constitutional status. The compulsion on state government to treat them with due care has begun to yield results. However, despite significant changes, urban local bodies continue to function as the extended arm of the state government. This needs to change if we really want their empowerment