The 74th amendment to the Constitution in 1992 paved the way for municipal or local governments, granting them constitutional validity and autonomy. The 12th schedule of the Indian Constitution also outlines the functions delegated to local city governments, encompassing areas such as water supply, sanitation, and building regulations.
In 2011, Gurgaon took a significant step by electing councillors for the first time for Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) to put in place the third tier of governance and since these elections for MCG take place every five years.
Contact MCG officials List and Gurgaon’s Mayor and Councillors@…..https://ulbharyana.gov.in/Gurugram/330
However, despite municipal body, there is a need for enhanced autonomy to drive effective change. This lack of empowered local governance leads to a disconnection between citizens and their elected representatives, resulting in low voter turnout and limited engagement in the electoral process. Gurgaon, in a way, exemplifies this challenge, generating substantial state revenues but receiving inadequate funds for its development. The city also faces confusion and poor accountability due to multiple authorities.
Recent amendments to the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act 1994 allow direct elections for mayors in ten districts, including Gurgaon, potentially providing more independence and power to the mayor position. This is an important step to improve local governance.
But there is a need to further improve the working and efficiency of MCG to efficiently manage the city. Financial autonomy, capacity building, and professional resources are essential for the corporation’s success. Mayors and councillors should be granted more powers, and ward committees must become more effective in addressing local issues.
The Haryana Municipal Act 1994 outlines various civic amenities, including sanitation, seweage, urban planning, roads and bridges, street lighting, social development planning, health care and hospitals, urban forestry, public amenities, health care, parks, public transport regulation, historical monuments, street animals, burial grounds, disaster management, and more. If an empowered municipal corporation can effectively manage all these functions, Gurgaon governance can be substantially improved.
Strengthening local governance is crucial for the holistic development of cities, ensuring they can effectively address the diverse needs of their residents.
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