The Eleventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, introduced through the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992, enumerates the functions and responsibilities of Municipalities in urban areas. These responsibilities are divided into three categories: the core responsibilities, the essential responsibilities, and the optional responsibilities. The intra-tier responsibilities refer to the distribution of these functions among the different tiers of Municipalities within urban areas. Let’s discuss the intra-tier responsibilities in the context of the Eleventh Schedule.
Core Responsibilities
The core responsibilities listed in the Eleventh Schedule are essential functions that Municipalities are required to perform. These include functions related to urban planning, regulation of land use, public health, sanitation, water supply, and street lighting. In the context of intra-tier responsibilities, these core functions are typically distributed among different tiers of Municipalities based on their size, population, and administrative capacity.
- Municipal Corporations, which are the largest tier of Municipalities, usually undertake core responsibilities related to urban planning, regulation of land use, and infrastructure development in major urban areas with larger populations and more complex urban planning needs.
- Municipal Councils, which are smaller than Municipal Corporations but larger than Nagar Panchayats, may be responsible for core functions related to public health, sanitation, water supply, and street lighting in smaller urban areas with medium-sized populations and less complex urban planning requirements.
- Nagar Panchayats, which are the smallest tier of Municipalities, typically handle core responsibilities related to basic public health services, sanitation, water supply, and street lighting in transitional areas or smaller urban centers with relatively smaller populations and simpler urban planning needs.
Essential Responsibilities
The essential responsibilities listed in the Eleventh Schedule are functions that Municipalities may choose to perform based on their specific needs and priorities. These include functions such as urban forestry, protection of the environment, promotion of cultural heritage, and slum improvement. In the context of intra-tier responsibilities, Municipalities may allocate these essential functions based on their capacity, resources, and local priorities.
- Municipal Corporations, with their larger administrative capacity and resources, may undertake essential responsibilities related to urban forestry, environmental protection, and promotion of cultural heritage in major urban areas where such initiatives are deemed necessary for sustainable urban development.
- Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats, depending on their capacity and local priorities, may also choose to undertake essential responsibilities such as slum improvement, environmental protection, and promotion of cultural heritage in their respective urban areas, albeit to a lesser extent compared to Municipal Corporations.
Optional Responsibilities
The optional responsibilities listed in the Eleventh Schedule are functions that Municipalities have the discretion to undertake based on local requirements and available resources. These include functions such as public amenities, promotion of economic development, and social justice. In the context of intra-tier responsibilities, Municipalities may prioritize and allocate these optional functions based on their specific needs and developmental objectives.
- Municipal Corporations, with their larger financial resources and administrative capacity, may prioritize optional responsibilities related to public amenities, economic development, and social justice in major urban areas with diverse economic activities and social needs.
- Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats, depending on their financial capacity and local priorities, may also undertake optional responsibilities such as public amenities, economic development, and social justice to a limited extent in their respective urban areas, focusing on priority areas that require immediate attention.
In conclusion, the intra-tier responsibilities in the context of the Eleventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution involve the distribution of core, essential, and optional functions among different tiers of Municipalities based on their size, population, administrative capacity, and local priorities. While Municipal Corporations typically handle core functions related to urban planning and infrastructure, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats focus on providing essential services and may undertake optional functions based on their specific needs and developmental objectives. Effective allocation of intra-tier responsibilities is essential for ensuring efficient and responsive urban governance and promoting sustainable urban development in India.
