The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has extended full support to the Urban Local Body Institutions for strengthen the Local Self Government at grass root level. The Mission & Vision of this department is crystal clear to provide all basic facilities to the inhabitants of town as they expected. The people are continually migrating from Rural to Urban area for availing the benefits of all basic facilities which are made mandatory by the Government for towns. The Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are basically small local public bodies that administer or rule a city or town with a specific population. The State / UT governments have delegated a vast number of tasks to ULBs.
The Urban Local Bodies of Jammu are aiming at creating an environment with better living conditions, improved economic activities and to have all the basis amenities for work/ leisure of the urban population living in small cities and towns. In order to achieve these objectives, the Urban Local Bodies, are planning to create infrastructure to take care of future needs because of increased population, increased vehicular traffic on the roads, increased requirement of commercial centers and to take-care of environmental concerns in the Urban Local Bodies. These objectives are proposed to be achieved keeping in view all the future challenges which massive urbanization will pose to all the Urban Local Bodies of Jammu Province. The special focus of Urban Local Bodies in the coming years is too meet the challenges of mitigating various kinds of pollutions in the rapidly growing Urban Centers. The most important challenge before the Urban Local Bodies is too increase the capacities of those administering various services and in order to address that use of technology, better planning processes and modern implementation tools will be engaged in the coming years in all the Urban Local Bodies.
The basic tasks of Local Body Institution are:- • ULB’s set up to provide urban services efficiently, effectively and equitably to all citizens. • Urban Local governments also plan for economic and social development of all citizens. • They regulate the use of land and the construction of buildings as per norms. • They regulate the supply of water for domestic, industrial and commercial purposes. • They maintain public health, sanitation conservation and Solid Waste Management. • They administer various Laws and Regulations. • They implement Central Government Plans at the grassroots level. • They are doing the job of reducing poverty.
Functions of Urban Local Bodies
It is a common practice to divide the organisation of a corporation or a municipality into two parts:
(a) Deliberative and (b) Executive part
The Corporation, Council or Municipal Board or Council consisting of the elected representatives of the people constitutes the deliberative part. It acts like a Legislature. It discusses and debates on general municipal policies and performance, passes the budget of the Urban Local Body, frames broad policies relating to Taxation, Resources raising, Pricing of services and other aspects of municipal administration.
It keeps an eye on municipal administration and holds the executive accountable for what is done or not done. For instance, if water supply is not being properly managed, or there is an outbreak of an epidemic, the deliberative wing criticises the role of the administration and suggests measures for improvement.
The executive part of municipal administration is looked after by the municipal officers and other permanent employees. In the Councils/ Committees, the Chief Executive Officers/ Executive Officers are the Head of offices and looks after the overall administration of a municipality under his / her control and supervision like Engineers, Finance Officers, Health Officers, Sanitation Officers, Tax Officer, Enforcement Officers etc.
All ULBs are controlled at central level by the Head of Department i.e. Director, Urban Local Bodies, Jammu who is on deputation either from Indian Administrative Services (IAS) or Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Services (JKAS).
Municipal functions are generally classified into obligatory and discretionary types.
The obligatory (compulsory) functions are those that the municipal body must perform. In this category fall such functions as water supply; construction and maintenance of roads, streets, bridges, subways and other public works, street lighting; drainage and sewerage; garbage collection and disposal; prevention and control of epidemics. Some other obligatory functions are public vaccination and inoculation; maintenance of hospitals and dispensaries including maternity and child welfare centres; checking food adulteration; removal of slums; supply of electricity; maintenance of cremation and burial grounds; and town planning.
The discretionary functions are those that a municipal body may take up if funds permit. These are given less priority. Some of the discretionary functions are construction and maintenance of rescue homes and orphanages, housing for low income groups, organising public receptions, provision of treatment facilities, etc.
