NCERT Solutions for Class 6 social science Chapter 12: Grassroots Democracy Part 3 Local Government in Urban Areas Class 6

What are urban local bodies, and what are their functions?
Answer:
Urban local bodies govern a city or a town of a specified population.

Why are they important in governance and democracy?
Answer:
Urban local bodies are form of local government in urban areas that take care of daily needs like water supply, garbage disposable, maintenance of parks and burial grounds and others. These decisions are collectively taken with the participation of local people of the same areas. With the one-third reservation of women in urban bodies, it has widened the concept of participatory democracy. Their existence has made the burden of central and government lighter and more effective.

Why is a city like Kolkata, Chennai, or Mumbai more complex and diverse than a village or a town?
Answer:
Cities like Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai are more complex and diverse due to their large populations, varied socio-economic groups, and cultural backgrounds. They have intricate infrastructures, multiple services, and numerous governance issues, making them more challenging to manage compared to smaller, less diverse villages or towns.

With your classmates, make a list of diverse communities residing in any city that you are familiar with. How many were you able to list? What else do you observe in the list?
Answer:
The list of diverse communities in a city is as follows

In figure above, what similarities and differences do you notice between the Panchayati Raj system and the urban local government?
Answer:

Can you think of four or five more actions that responsible citizens might take to help their area of the city? (Page 177)
Answer:
Some actions that responsible citizens might take to help their area of the city are as follows:

Select a few cities, from your state and from a few neighbouring states. These may include the city you live in or the city nearest to your town or village. How will you find out if they have a Nagar Panchayat, Municipal Council or Municipal Corporation? Draw a table with the names of the cities and the type of urban local body each of them has.
Answer:
The following is a table with a few cities from different states and their corresponding urban local bodies

How do urban local bodies fund their activities? (Hint: Look carefully at the pictures of the functions performed by Indore Municipal Corporation in Figure 12.4 on page 178) Are some of them paid services?
Answer:
Municipal Corporations collect fund for their activities-property tax, water charges, business hoardings, trade licenses, various licences, and some important CRM services on request such as CRM-water tanker, debric clearance, etc. Water tankers, septic tanker, auditorium, mobile toilet, private ambulance, etc. are paid services.

Indore in Madhya Pradesh has been awarded the cleanest city in India under the Swachh Survekshan government scheme for seven years in a row. What could have been the role of Indore citizens in this achievement? (Page 1 79)
Answer:
All governments work for the welfare and happiness of the people. Indore’s local bodies have been delivering the best services and citizens have taken their role in positive and affirmative manners. The Indore people have been following all kind of rules regarding collection and disposable of garbage with utmost care. They have volunteered up themselves in solving many issues like not littering on road, avoiding the use of plastics, using more of public transports system. Through regular campaigns they encourage people, take care of their cities and to be part of solution.

On your way to school, you and your friends notice that a water pipe is leaking. A lot of water is being wasted on account of the leak. What would you and your friends do in such a situation?
Answer:
With the help of an elder, we will contact Municipal Board of our city.

Invite a member of a nearby urban local body to your class. Discuss their role and responsibilities. Prepare a set of questions to ask them so that the meeting is productive.
Answer:
Questions to ask:

Discuss with adult members of your family and neighbourhood, and make a list of their expectations from the urban local bodies.
Answer:
From the discussions with adult members of my family and neighbourhood, I made the following list of their expectations from the urban local bodies

Make a list of characteristics of a good urban local body.
Answer:
Water purification and supply

What are the similarities and differences between the Panchayati Raj system in rural areas and the urban local bodies?
Answer:
Similarities: