The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has found that the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) lacks authority and resources where they generated only 16.16 percent of revenue from their own and 68.72 percent coming from the funds government grants .
The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act ,also called as Nagarpallika act which came into effect from June 1 , 1993 holds the following laws to decentralize Local Bodies
- To emphasize powers and functions to local government (municipalities)
- The act insisted on devolving 18 functions to the hands of local Bodies
- To empower Municipalities to make decisions on the local matter
- To Perform audit report annually
Uttar Pradesh’s Urban Local Bodies (ULB)
The performance of the audit report of Urban Local Bodies from 2015 – 2020 , showed that the UP’s local government failed to devolve all the 18 functions which were stated in the act to be in control of local Bodies (ULB)
The Audit report
The audit report covering the period from 2015 -2020 found inadequacy in provisioning and functioning of Institutional Mechanism
Out of 18 functions , only one function of construction , operation and maintenance of crematoriums and burial grounds is stated to be fully under the control of ULB’s .One function is partially devolved , had no role in one function , had limited role in 11 functions , implemented two agencies for one function and in one function they had dual role with government departments.
The role of regulation of land use and planning for economic and social development were not under the control of Local Bodies yet
This report depicts that the 74th Constitutional Amendment wasn’t in proper practice as out of 707 ULB’s ,elections were held only for 652 ULB’s in 2017 which also serves as a prove that the motive of the act wasn’t implemented in the initial stage itself
Out of the 707 ULBs , 17 are Nagar Nigams ,199 are Nagar Palika Parishad , 491 are Nagar panchayats .
The report by the Comptroller and Auditor General stated that only 48 percent of NPPs and 44 percent of NPs were performing the function of approving building plans.
The audit also stated that yearly development plans and annual budget estimates were not prepared in any of the ULBs checked so far.
The ULB faces difficulty in raising revenue and depends on the state or central government for grants . The Municipal services like pipe drinking water supply is also seen lacking in some ULBs . The role of implementing Central / state schemes was also minimal
