The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 fundamentally changed urban governance in India. Often called the Municipalities Act, it granted constitutional status to urban local bodies. This landmark legislation aimed to decentralize power and strengthen grassroots democracy. It officially came into force on June 1, 1993.
A Long-Awaited Return to Representative Democracy
For years, Pune faced a significant delay in its local electoral process. Elections were postponed by four long years. During this period, the city's representative democracy remained in a state of suspension. Instead of elected officials, a bureaucratic administration managed civic affairs. This situation deprived citizens of their rightful voice in local governance.
Now, with the recent conclusion of local elections, Pune stands on the brink of a functional representative democracy. The elected local self-government should begin its work imminently. This shift marks a crucial return to the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution.
The Mechanics of the 74th CAA: Citizen Participation at Its Core
The Act mandates a collaborative, bottom-up approach to decision-making. This process operates at two key levels. First, it fosters dialogue between citizens and their representatives at the individual ward level. Second, it requires cooperation between the local self-government and the state government at the city-wide level.
Ward Committees: The Engine of Local Governance
To ensure effective dialogue and tangible results, the 74th CAA establishes a critical requirement. Ward committees must convene for meetings once every month. Their primary role is to monitor the implementation and delivery of essential civic services. These services, termed normative entitlements, form the bedrock of urban livability.
The entitlements guaranteed under the Act include several vital provisions. Every person is entitled to a supply of 135 litres of potable water per day. The committee also oversees city sanitation and garbage management. Furthermore, it ensures the maintenance and repair of local roads. These are not mere suggestions but mandated responsibilities for the municipal corporation.
Annual Environmental Accountability
The Act introduces a powerful tool for urban environmental management. It mandates the preparation and presentation of an annual Environmental Status Report. This document serves a dual purpose. It assesses the quality of both the built environment and the natural surroundings.
The report must systematically identify specific urban hazards. These include problematic practices like the open burning of garbage. It also tracks the dumping of biodegradable waste, such as religious offerings or food scraps, into water bodies. Similarly, it monitors the disposal of non-biodegradable construction debris. The report further identifies unsafe buildings and encroachments on public footpaths.
Critically, this exercise is not just about identification. It requires authorities to quantify the extent of the damage or problem. This data-driven approach is essential. The collected information must then be used to create a concrete, ward-specific action plan. The ultimate goal is a measurable improvement in the quality of life for all residents.
Planning and Budgeting: A Participatory Model
The 74th CAA revolutionizes municipal finance through the concept of participatory budgeting. Once a year, based on the ward-level action plans, a participatory budget must be created. This budget directly reflects the needs and priorities identified by local communities.
The process is meticulously structured. Individual ward-level plans and budgets are aggregated at the city's apex level. This consolidated proposal is then submitted to the General Body of the municipal corporation. A crucial debate follows in the General Body meeting.
This meeting is a gathering of all key stakeholders. Ward-level functionaries, representatives from various civic departments, and the Municipal Commissioner are all present. Once this aggregated plan and budget receive approval from the General Body, they become the official annual plan for the Pune Municipal Corporation. The ward committees then shoulder the responsibility of monitoring its implementation throughout the year.
Functions, Funds, and Oversight
The 74th Amendment Act clearly defines the scope of municipal work. It specifies 18 distinct functions listed in the Constitution's 12th Schedule. These functions are formally assigned to municipal corporations like the PMC.
To perform these duties, civic bodies are empowered with financial authority. They are authorized by state governments to levy and collect various taxes, duties, tolls, and fees. Beyond their own revenue, corporations also receive grants-in-aid and earmarked funds for projects sponsored by central and state governments.
The Act provides further financial flexibility. Corporations can create Special Purpose Vehicles for specific projects. They are also permitted to establish corpus funds for unforeseen or special purposes. All these financial and operational activities are subject to rigorous oversight. The Standing Committee and the General Body of the corporation serve as the primary statutory watchdogs. In essence, these two democratically elected bodies constitute the local self-government.
A Shared Responsibility for Pune's Future
The success of this system hinges on a partnership. Citizens must actively accept their role in this new democratic framework. They have a responsibility to jointly monitor the implementation of plans at the ward level. Providing regular feedback to their representatives is not just a right but a duty.
Citizens must internalize a fundamental shift in perspective. Our government is not a paternalistic entity that provides and protects. It is a representative democracy. Its power is derived directly from the citizens. Its funding comes from the direct and indirect taxes paid by the people. Therefore, these funds must be deployed for socially relevant and publicly beneficial purposes.
Elected representatives, on their part, must fully embrace their role. They are not autonomous rulers but accountable trustees. The decision-making power is delegated to them by the people they represent. They have a profound moral and legal duty. This power must not be used for personal gain or narrow communal appeasement. It must be exercised with public consent to ensure that every resident receives their normative entitlements. This collaborative effort is the only path to achieving a better quality of life for all in Pune.
