The first Municipal Corporation in India was set up at Madras in 1687, and in 1726 the Municipal Corporations were set up in Bombay and Calcutta. In 1870, Lord Mayo’s Resolution for financial decentralisation paved the way for Local Self Government. The famous Resolution by Lord Ripon, which is also called the Magna Carta of Local Self Government, was issued by Lord Ripon’s Government on 18th May, 1882. By the Government of India Act 1919, the Local Self-Government was transferred to Ministers responsible to new Provincial Legislatures. The Municipal Act of 1919 and District Municipalities Act of 1920 in Madras, gave powers to the Councils to elect their own Chairmen and frame their own Budgets. Another Act passed in 1925 made the city Municipalities, with a population exceeding one lakh wholly elective. The Government of India Act, 1935 introduced provincial autonomy and Local Self-Government was declared as a provincial subject.

The National Government appointed a committee in 1948 known as the Local Finance Inquiry Committee, to report on ways and means for improving the financial resources of Local Bodies. In 1985, the National Commission on Urbanization was appointed by the Central government which gave its report in 1988. Commission was set up to study and give suggestions on all aspects of Urban Management. The Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992 is a landmark step of the Government of India to strengthen Local Self-Government in cities and towns. There are different types of Urban Local Bodies in India, such as Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, Notified Area Committees, Urban Area Committees, Special Purpose Agencies, Townships, Port Trusts, Cantonment Boards, etc.

In the year 1886 two Municipalities were established one for Jammu and another for Kashmir under the Jammu & Kashmir Municipal Act No.16 of 1886. The record reveals that prior to April-1982 there was only single Directorate of Local Bodies for whole the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. In order to deliver better facilities in both regions and for the convenience of general public the Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir has bifurcated the Local Bodies Department into 02 administrative control in April-1982 headed by Director, Urban Local Bodies, Jammu for Jammu region and Director, Urban Local Bodies, Kashmir for Kashmir region. Since, the establishment of independent Directorate of Urban Local Bodies, Jammu we have 09 Municipal Councils each at district headquarter viz. Poonch, Udhampur, Samba, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Ramban and Kathua and 27 Municipal Committees (Arnia, Bishnah, R.S.Pura, Ghou-manhasan, Akhnoor, Jourian, Khour, Sunderbani, Nowshera, Kalakote, Bishnah, Surankote, Bari Brahmana, Vijaypur, Ramgarh, Hiranagar, Parole, Lakhanpur, Basohli, Billawar, Bhaderwah, Thathri, Banihal, Batote, Chenani, Ramnagar and Katra) functioning under the administrative control of Director, Urban Local Bodies, Jammu. Since the initial stage of implementation of Local Self Government in J&K the Local Body Institutions were called as Notified Area Councils/ Committees, but latterly the Government declared all towns as Municipal Councils / Municipal Committees as per strength of population.

The Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir has taken cohesive steps to strengthen the motive of Local Self Government at grass root level. A Local Self-government is the management and governance of local affairs by a local body or authority. These local bodies may be Municipal Corporations/ Councils/ Committees or Panchayats, as on date every Local Body Institution J&K is having an elected representative of each ward and having Presidents, Vice Presidents and also having House of elected Ward Members for making policies/ strategies/ developmental Plans. The government has notified latest Act with the title of Municipal Act 2000 to run/ manage the business activities of Local Body Institutions in all ULBs. In the said Act there is a prescribed procedure to manage the business activities of all ULBs in J&K. In order to meet up the requirement of human resources and strengthen the ULBs in all sectors the Government also publicized Jammu and Kashmir Recruitment Rules under SRO 417 dated 18/12/2008.

The Government also kept provision for developmental works for all ULBs under Capex Plans every year for meet up the basic requirements of the inhabitants of towns. Due to migration of people from Rural to Urban the basic needs of the people have been increased manifold and Urban Local Body Institutions have the mandate to provide all the facilities, so the Municipal Councils/ Committees providing all civic amenities to the inhabitants of towns like Birth & Death certificates, Building Permissions, Sanitation, De-silting of drains, Street Lightening, High Mast Lights, const. of Lanes, Drains, Big Nallahs, Iron Gratings over drains, Reg. of House Numbering, Bus Stands, Shopping Complexes, Play Grounds, Cremation Grounds, Graveyard, Material Recovery Facilities for Solid Waste Management, Public Toilets/ Community Toilets, Integrated Household Latrines (IHHL), Shelters for Houseless people, Houses for all under PMAY, Development of Water Bodies, Water connections to every household under AMRUT2.0, Trade License, Reg. of Street Vendors, Mobile Tower permission etc. and many more other schemes / programs. The development plans have been implemented/ executed by the executing agencies i.e. concerned PWD(R&B) Divisions in all ULBs. Being a controlling officer the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies Jammu monitoring the progress and releases funds to subordinate offices for development activities.