A municipal corporation is a type of

local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of a higher-level political or administrative unit, such a ...

in India which administers an urban area having a population of one million or more. The growing population and urbanization of various Indian cities highlighted the need for a type of local governing body that could provide services such as healthcare, education, housing and transport by collecting property taxes and administering grants from the

state government A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonom ...

. The municipal corporation carries out its function through well organized divisions or departments. For example, water supply and sewage disposal Undertaking, Housing Board, Education Department and Electricity Department. Each of these departments are looked after by experienced and qualified persons. The 74th Amendment Act defined the formations of urban local governments and their activities.

Other names for municipal corporations

Municipal corporations are referred to by different names in different states (due to regional language variations), all of which are translated to "municipal corporation" in English. These names include ''Nagar Nigam'' (in

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...

Uttarakhand Uttarakhand (, ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2007), is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. The state is bordered by Himachal Pradesh to the n ...

Bihar Bihar ( ) is a states and union territories of India, state in Eastern India. It is the list of states and union territories of India by population, second largest state by population, the List of states and union territories of India by are ...

Jharkhand Jharkhand (; ) is a States and union territories of India, state in East India, eastern India. The state shares its border with the states of West Bengal to the east, Chhattisgarh to the west, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Bihar to the north ...

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...

, and

Haryana Haryana () is a States and union territories of India, state located in the northern part of India. It was carved out after the linguistic reorganisation of Punjab, India, Punjab on 1 November 1966. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with les ...

), ''Nagara Nigama'' (in

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

), ''Mahanagar Palika'' (in

Goa Goa (; ; ) is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is bound by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north, and Karnataka to the ...

and

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

), ''Mahanagara Palike'' (in

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

), ''Mahanagar Seva Sadan'' (in

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

), ''Pouro Nigom'' (in

Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...

), ''Mahānagara Nigama'' (in

Odisha Odisha (), formerly Orissa (List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2011), is a States and union territories of India, state located in East India, Eastern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by ar ...

), ''Pouro Nigam'' (in

West Bengal West Bengal (; Bengali language, Bengali: , , abbr. WB) is a States and union territories of India, state in the East India, eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabi ...

), ''Pur Porishod'' (in

Tripura Tripura () is a States and union territories of India, state in northeastern India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, third-smallest state in the country, it covers ; and the seventh-least populous state with a populat ...

), ''Nagar Palika Nigam'' (in

Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh (; ) is a landlocked States and union territories of India, state in Central India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the List ...

and

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (; ; ) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and the largest city is Indore, Indore. Other major cities includes Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar. Madhya Pradesh is the List of states and union te ...

), ''Nagara Paalaka Samstha'' or ''Mahaanagara Paalaka Samstha'' (in

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...

and

Telangana Telangana is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated in the Southern India, south-central part of the Indian subcontinent on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, ele ...

), ''Nagara Sabha'' (in

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

) and ''Maanagaraatchi'' (in

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

).{{Citation needed, date=February 2022 The

Vadodara Municipal Corporation Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) established in July 1950 under the Bombay Provincial Corporation Act, 1949, is responsible for the civic infrastructure and administration of the city of Vadodara. Vadodara Municipal Corporation has been f ...

of the city of

Vadodara Vadodara (), also known as Baroda, is a city situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri River in the Indian state of Gujarat. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Vadodara district. The city is named for its abundance of banyan ...

is typically called by the name "Vadodara Mahanagar Seva Sadan", and the Greater Bangalore Municipal Corporation of the city of

Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

is typically called "Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike". The detailed structure of these urban bodies varies from state to state, as per the laws passed by the state legislatures, but the basic structure and function is almost the same.

Composition

Wards Committee (Legislature)

The area administered by a municipal corporation is known as a municipal area. Each municipal area is divided into territorial constituencies known as wards. A municipal corporation is made up of a

wards committee Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

. Each ward has one seat in the wards committee. Members are elected to the wards committee on the basis of adult franchise for a term of five years. These members are known as

councillors A councillor, alternatively councilman, councilwoman, councilperson, or council member, is someone who sits on, votes in, or is a member of, a council. This is typically an elected representative of an electoral district in a municipal or regi ...

or corporators. The number of wards in a municipal area is determined by the population of the city. Some seats are reserved for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, backward classes and women. A state can choose to constitute additional committees to carry functions of urban local governance, in addition to the wards committees. In addition to the councillors elected from the wards, the legislature of a state may also choose to make provisions for the representation of persons having special knowledge or experience in municipal administration, the MPs or MLAs representing the constituencies which comprise wholly or partly the municipal area, and/or the commissioners of additional committees that the state may have constituted. If a state legislature appoints a person from the first category to a wards committee, that individual will not have the right to vote in the meetings of the municipal corporation, while MPs, MLAs and commissioners do have the right to vote in meetings.

Executive departments

There are departments for execution of work related to health, water and sanitation.

Superlatives

The largest corporations are in the ten major metropolitan cities of India, viz.

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...

Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...

Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...

Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ), also spelled Amdavad (), is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 ...

Lucknow Lucknow () is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and the largest city of the List of state and union territory capitals in India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is the administrative headquarters of the epon ...

Jaipur Jaipur (; , ) is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and the List of cities and towns in Rajasthan, largest city of the north-western States and union territories of India, Indian state of Rajasthan. , the city had ...

Kanpur Kanpur (Hindustani language, Hindustani: ), originally named Kanhapur and formerly anglicized as Cawnpore, is the second largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Uttar Pradesh after Lucknow. It was the primary ...

. The

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), or the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) is the governing civic body of Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra. Salman Khan Is Now Brand Ambassador of BMC from 2016. The BMC is India ...

(BMC) of the city of

is the richest municipal corporation in India.

Greater Chennai Corporation Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is a local government for the City of Chennai in the Chennai Metropolitan Area of Tamil Nadu, India. Inaugurated on 29 September 1688, under a royal charter issued by James II of England, King James II of Eng ...

of the city of

is the oldest municipal corporation in India and second oldest municipal corporation in the world only behind

City of London Corporation The City of London Corporation, officially and legally the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London, is the local authority of the City of London, the historic centre of London and the location of much of the United Kingdom's f ...

in United Kingdom.{{cite news, title= Chennai Corporation to celebrate 320 years , url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/23/stories/2008092357680100.htm, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080923115809/http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/23/stories/2008092357680100.htm, url-status=dead, archive-date=23 September 2008, first=Kannal, last=Achutan, date=23 September 2008, work=

The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded as a weekly publication in 1878 by the Triplicane Six, becoming a daily in 1889. It is one of the India ...

, location=Chennai, access-date=2012-09-01

Functionaries

Municipal Corporations are urban local bodies established in large cities to provide essential civic services. Their functionaries are classified into elected representatives and appointed officials.

Elected Functionaries

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

** Ceremonial head of the Corporation. ** Presides over Corporation meetings. ** Represents the city in official functions. ** Elected directly or indirectly *

Deputy Mayor The deputy mayor (also known as vice mayor and assistant mayor) is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official that is present in many local governments. Duties and functions Many elected deputy mayors are members of the loca ...

** Assists the Mayor. ** Acts in the Mayor’s absence. * Municipal Councillors ** Elected from each municipal ward. ** Constitute the Municipal Corporation (Council). ** Deliberate on policies, budgets, and development plans. * Standing Committee Members ** Formed to manage specific functions such as: *** Finance *** Health *** Public Works *** Education *** Development *** Welfare *** Arts and Sports ** Headed by Chairpersons elected among councillors.

Appointed Functionaries

* Municipal Commissioner ** Chief executive officer of the Corporation. ** Appointed by the State Government (usually an IAS officer or an State Service officer). ** Responsible for overall administration and implementation of council decisions. * Additional/Deputy Commissioners ** Assist the Municipal Commissioner in specific domains. * Heads of Departments ** Manage various departments such as: *** Engineering *** Health *** Sanitation *** Town Planning *** Education *** Accounts * Revenue Officer ** Handles property tax and other municipal revenues. * Medical Officer of Health ** Supervises public health, sanitation, and hospitals. * Chief Engineer / Superintending Engineer ** Oversees infrastructure development and maintenance. * Other Supporting Staff ** Includes clerks, inspectors, technical staff, and field workers. ''These functionaries operate within the framework of the respective State Municipal Corporation Acts and play a vital role in urban governance and service delivery.'' ''These administrative officials are appointed by the respective State Government. The respective state Urban Development/Municipal Affairs/Urban Affairs Department look after their matters''.

Administration

Municipal corporations are typically headed by a

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

and

deputy mayor The deputy mayor (also known as vice mayor and assistant mayor) is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official that is present in many local governments. Duties and functions Many elected deputy mayors are members of the loca ...

(elected from among the councilors), and comprise elected

.{{Cite web , title=Administration {{! City Corporation Of Thiruvananthapuram , url=https://tmc.lsgkerala.gov.in/en/administration , access-date=2023-12-14 , website=tmc.lsgkerala.gov.in The mayor is the head of the municipal corporation, but in most

states and territories of India India is a federalism, federal union comprising 28 federated state, states and 8 union territory, union territories, for a total of 36 subnational entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into 800 List of districts ...

the role is largely ceremonial as executive powers are vested in the municipal commissioner. The office of the mayor combines a functional role of chairing the corporation council meetings as well as ceremonial role associated with being the First Citizen of the city. As per the amended Municipal Corporation Act of 1888, a deputy mayor is appointed by the mayor. The tenure of the mayor, deputy mayor and council is five years. However, in

and

, mayors are directly elected by the people and thus hold the executive powers of the municipal corporations. The administrative machinery is further supported by a municipal commissioner or

secretary A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...

. They functions as the chief executive officer of the municipal corporation. These officials are tasked with the day-to-day operations, implementing policies, and ensuring the efficient delivery of essential services. Executive officers monitor the implementation of all the programs related to planning and development of the corporation with the coordination of mayor and councilors. The municipal corporations consists departments like health, general administration, revenue, engineering, town planning, welfare, education, etc. The officials of these departments, like health inspectors, engineers, and administrative officers, are appointed by the state government.

Functions of municipal corporations

The Twelfth Schedule of the Constitution lists the subjects that municipal corporations are responsible for. Corporations may be entrusted to perform functions and implement schemes including those in relation to the matters listed in the Twelfth Schedule. * Regulation of land-use and construction of buildings . * Urban planning including town planning . * Planning for economic and social development . * Water supply for domestic, industrial and commercial purposes . * Public health, sanitation conservancy and solid waste management . * Fire services . * Urban forestry, protection of the environment and promotion of ecological aspects. * Safeguarding the interests of weaker sections of society, including the handicapped and mentally disabled * Slum improvement and upgradation. * Repair street lights * Urban poverty alleviation. * Provision of urban amenities and facilities such as parks, gardens, playgrounds. * Promotion of cultural, educational and aesthetic aspects. * Burials and burial grounds; cremations, cremation grounds and electric crematoriums. * Cattle pounds; prevention of cruelty to animals. * Vital statistics including registration of births and deaths. * Public amenities including street lighting, parking lots, bus stops and public conveniences. * Regulation of slaughter houses and tanneries

Municipal corporation headquarters of major metropolitan cities

File:MCD HQ.jpg,

Municipal Corporation of Delhi Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD; ISO: ''Dillī Nagara Nigama'') is the municipal corporation that governs most of Delhi, India. The MCD is among the largest municipal bodies in the world providing civic services to a population of about 20 ...

National Capital Territory of Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...

File:Bombay Municipal Corporation.JPG,

Greater Mumbai Mumbai Metropolitan Region (ISO: ''Muṁbaī Mahānagara Pradēśa''; abbreviated to MMR and previously also known as Greater Bombay Metropolitan Area), is a metropolitan area consisting of Mumbai and its satellite towns in the northern Konka ...

File:Ripon building (12232197345).jpg,

,
Greater Chennai,

File:Kolkata Municipal Corporation - Kolkata 2013-04-15 6065.JPG,

Kolkata Municipal Corporation Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is the local government of the Indian city of Kolkata, the List of Indian state and union territory capitals, state capital of West Bengal. This civic administrative body administers an area of . Its motto, ' ...

,
Greater Kolkata,

File:Bbmp..jpg,

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was the administrative body responsible for civic amenities and some infrastructural assets of the Greater Bangalore, Greater Bengaluru metropolitan area. It was the fourth List of municipal corporat ...

,
Greater Bengaluru,

File:GHMC Main Building.jpg,

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is the civic body that oversees Hyderabad, the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It is the local government for the city of Hyderabad. It is one of the largest munici ...

,
Greater Hyderabad,

File:Pune Municipal Corporation building in October 2023.jpg,

Pune Municipal Corporation Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is the civic body that governs the inner limits of Pune, India. It is in charge of the civic needs and infrastructure of the metropolis, which is spread over an area of 500 sq. km. and has 3.4 million resident ...

Pune Pune ( ; , ISO 15919, ISO: ), previously spelled in English as Poona (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1978), is a city in the state of Maharashtra in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan plateau in Western ...

References

{{Reflist {{Local government in India {{Authority control Local government in India