Q. Local self-government can be best explained as an exercise in

  • Federalism
  • Democratic decentralization
  • Administrative delegation
  • Direct democracy

Answer: (b) Democratic decentralization

Local Self Government:
  • Local Self Government is the management of local affairs by such local bodies who have been elected by the local people.
  • The local self-Government includes both rural and urban government.
  • Local self-government has the two core guiding principles i.e. Decentralization and grassroots empowerment.
  • It is the third level of the government. It is under the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendment.
  • Local self-government bodies are political entities. These bodies are elected directly or indirectly by people and which are managed by their representatives.
  • There can be no direct democracy as in direct democracy all decisions are made directly by the people.
  • The foundational principles of local self-government in India are based on the idea of community participation, decentralization of power, transparency, and accountability, Responsiveness to local needs, independent and autonomous, democratic governance.
Rural Local Governments
  • Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) is a system of rural local self-government in India.
  • PRI was constitutionalized through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 to build democracy at the grass roots level and was entrusted with the task of rural development in the country.
    • This act has added a new Part-IX to the Constitution of India. This part is entitled as ‘The Panchayats’ and consists of provisions from Articles 243 to 243 O.
    • In addition, the act has also added a new Eleventh Schedule to the Constitution. This schedule contains 29 functional items of the panchayats. It deals with Article 243-G.
  • In its present form and structure PRI has completed 30 years of existence. However, a lot remains to be done in order to further decentralization and strengthen democracy at the grass root level.
Urban Local Governments
  • Urban Local Governments were established with the purpose of democratic decentralisation.
  • There are eight types of urban local governments in India – Municipal Corporation, Municipality, Notified Area Committee, Town Area Committee, Cantonment Board, township, port trust, special purpose agency.
  • At the Central level the subject of ‘urban local government’ is dealt with by the following three Ministries.
    • The Ministry of Urban Development was created as a separate ministry in 1985 (now Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs).
    • Ministry of Defense in the case of cantonment boards.
    • Ministry of Home Affairs in the case of Union Territories.
  • The 74th Amendment Act pertaining to urban local government was passed during the regime of P.V. Narsimha Rao’s government in 1992. It came into force on 1st June, 1993.
    • Added Part IX-A and consists of provisions from articles 243-P to 243-ZG.
    • Added 12th Schedule to the Constitution. It contains 18 functional items of Municipalities and deals with Article 243 W.