The real purpose of Local Self-government is to make the country a better place to live in. By participating in local government bodies, people learn the art of self – government. The English system of local government is the result of a long historical evolution for the most part unguided and unplanned1.In the words of De Tocqueville, “ Local institutions constitute the strength of free nations. A nation may establish a system of free governments but without municipal institutions it cannot have the spirit of liberty.” Leacock has said, “The distinction between local and Central Governments lies partly in their relative constitutional positions and partly the nature of public services performed”. Local self-governing institutions may be called the cradle of democracy. They provide the best training for a good citizenship. They are the primary schools for the future parliamentarians and national leaders2.
The modern government of a country is mounted with a lot of work load though the machinery is divided into executive, judiciary and legislative. But, local problems need immediate enquiry and quick look into the affairs of a particular area, concentrating on its own development. Local interest and needs can be understood, safeguarded and promoted by local people through government and not by the government.
Historical roots of the local self-government in India can be traced the ancient past, though its present pattern of urban and rural bodies reflect a distinct impact of the British period. Lord Ripon’s Resolutions on Local Self Government had its echoes in Kanyakumari District also.The Municipal Act 1920 marks an important epoch in the history of the Local Self Government of Kanyakumari District. As per this Act, four Municipalities (i.e) Nagercoil, Padmanabhapuram,Kuzhithurai and Colachel were constituted in the area.
Administration is an art of management, carrying into effect any policy or plan whether conceived by a government or a public or a private agency. Organization and administration play a vital role in municipal administration. At the district level, the Collector is the supreme authority to control the local bodies. In addition, there are also regional level Department officers to control them. Besides the Director at the state level, there are Regional Directors to administer the municipalities. At the regional level, the municipalities in Kanyakumari District are under the control of the Regional Director of Municipalities, Tirunelveli. The Municipality is headed by the Commissioner in the official side and the Chairman and his Council in the non-official side .
The Municipalities consist of five functional departments. They are General Administration Department, Engineering Department, Revenue and Accounts Department, Public Health Department and Town Planning Department. Each department consists of a Head who reports the Commissioner and functions as per the responsibilities prescribed in the municipal act.
The Commissioner is at the apex of this structure and is responsible for all activities carried out by the municipalities. He is the main pillar of the municipal administration. He controls over the municipal officials. He exercises administrative and financial powers. The commissioner is responsible for preparation and certification of all periodical records, returns and furnishes all information as may from time to time be required by the Municipal Council or the Standing Committees. He is also responsible for preparation of accounts. At each general meeting, the Commissioner along with some other key officials, discuss various issues with the elected representatives. All municipal records are under his custody3.
RESERVATION OF SEATS
In order to provide for adequate representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes ( SC and ST) and of women in the municipal bodies, provisions have been made for reservation of seats. The proportions of seats to be reserved for SC/ST to the total number of seats shall be the same as the proportion of the population of SC/ST in the municipal area to the population of that area4. For the purpose of election to a Municipal Council, the state government shall after consulting the Municipal Council, by notification, divide the municipality into wards and determine the number of members to be elected in accordance with such scale as may be prescribed. Only one member shall be elected for each ward. All the electors of a ward irrespective of their community or sex, shall be entitled to vote at an election to the seat in that ward.
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS
General election for all the wards are conducted. Members of the Municipal Council and also the Chairman where directly elected by the people. The municipality allotted fund for the elections. Meetings were conducted to take decisions for the improvement of the municipality. Sometimes special and urgent meetings were also conducted. The Councillors should evince greater interest in the municipal administration and attend meetings more regularly and in large numbers5.
FUNCTION OF THE MUNICIPALITIES
The Travancore Municipalities were given the power to arrest and release on bail any person who committed law and order problem6. The British Municipal Administration brought about a general awakening in the people of the locality and kindled their active interest in problems concerning them vitally.The Constitutional Amendment envisages that Municipalities would go beyond the mere provision of civic amenities.
An Illustrative list of functions that are entrusted to the Municipalities has been incorporated as the Twelfth Schedule of the Constitution. It entrusted list of functions to the Municipalities, and the State Legislatures would be free to choose from this or add to this list while stipulating the functions to be performed by Municipalities7. The main functions of the municipalities were divided into obligatory and discretionary8. The obligatory functions were compulsory and primary duties of the municipalities.
MUNICIPAL FINANCE
All the financial resources of the municipalities are broadly categorized as tax revenues, non- tax revenues, assigned revenues, grants and contributions. The tax revenues comprise, taxes on property including service charges like water tax and drainage tax, taxes on profession and trades, taxes on goods and consumption and taxes on animals and vehicles. The non tax and surcharge on sales tax. Grants and contributions comprised of devolution fund, other grants and contributions.
REVENUE EXPENDITURE
The important expenditure of the municipalities include maintenance expenses of gardens, parks, hospital, removal of debris, purchase of scavenging materials etc. Power charges for the streetlight constitutes roughly 9.21 per cent of the total expenditure and over 47.03 percent of the total expenditure under this head. Apart from power charges for streetlight, Power charges for Heads water works and the streetlight maintenance constitute 6.69 per cent and 2.36 percent of the total expenditure respectively9.
CONCLUSION
A perusal of the records indicate that the activities of municipalities helped to ease the difficulties of the people. It fosters the people’s participation and responsibilities in the local administration. But behind these, a series of persons and forces functioned through the ages. In the light of the above said facts and a host of others we can conclude that the emergence of municipalities in Kanyakumari District was a turning point in the socio- economic and political development of Kanyakumari District.
– Dr.M.Shylakumari
Asst. Professor of History, S.T. Hindu College, Nagercoil -2.
REFERENCES
1. Munro, Government of Europe, London, 1954, p.273.
2. R.C. Aggarwal, Constitutional History (Development) of India and National Movement, New Delhi, 1978, p.714.
3. V.S.Prasad (ed) Indian Administration, New Delhi, 1991, p.49.
4. M.Gnana Gurunathan and ATC. Radhakrishnan, The Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act 1920, Madurai, 2006, p.74.
5. Report from the Inspector of Municipal Councils and Local Boards, Madras, dated 29 September 1958.
6. Government of Tamilnadu.D.Dis.No.276/42, L.G.A. dated 28 April 1942, p.57.
7. The Constitution (74 Amendment ) Act 1992, Twelfth Schedule (Article 243 W)
8. Om Prie, Srivastava, Municipal Government and Administration in India Allahabad, 1980, p.30.
9. Report from the Director of Municipal Administration, dated 20 December 1988.