4.1. Historical Background

♤ The formation of Madras Municipal Corporation in 1687 earmarked the era of Urban Local Governance in India. Later similar corporation were formed in Calcutta and Bombay Municipal Corporation in 1726.

♤ In 1882, Lord Ripon – the Viceroy of India - passed a resolution of local self-government which laid the democratic forms of municipal governance in India.

♤ Indian Independence ushered a new era of local governance in India. The Constitution of India allotted the local self-government to the state list of functions.

♤ In 1953, the U.P. Government took a decision to set-up Municipal Corporations in five big cities of Kanpur, Agra, Varanasi, Allahabad and Lucknow, popularly known as KAVAL Towns. As a result, the state of U.P. adopted a new Act for Municipal Corporations in 1959.

♤ In 1985, the Central Government appointed the National Commission on Urbanization, which gave its report in 1988. This was the first commission to study and give suggestions on all aspects of urban management. Also several committees were appointed in different states in order to improve the municipal organizations and administration there under.

♤ Finally, it was the Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992 that gave constitutional status to the Urban Local governance bodies.