Our reputed leader Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru had once, said, :—

"Local administration is the foundation of our democracy and very rightly is it so. A democracy at the top can not be a success untill the foundation on which the super structure rests is strong. It is no use starting such a super imposed democracy without a proper base."

It has been established by eminent historians like R. R. Dikshatar, Dr. Radha Kumud Mukerjee, Dr. R. C. Mujumdar and others that from its very beginning, Local Self Government had been successful in this country and had played an important role in the general administration of India. Dr. M. P. Sharma and Dr. Amresh Awasthi have thrown great lights on the importance of Local Self Government in India. Other historians like Sir, Jadunath Sircar, Dr. P. Saran, Mr. W. Hasan, Mr. I. H. Quareshi and many others have also discussed several aspects of this subject.

The Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi had also once remarked :

"The more is administration decentralised, the greater will the citizen be aware of his rights and duties."

With an honest intent to encourage a healthy self Government in Madhya Pradesh, a Committee was once instituted. The Government Press published the report of this Committee as back as in the year 1938. In that context, the present Chief Minister of the State of Madhya Pradesh Dr. D. P. Mishra who was then its Home Minister had written :

"Every one taking any interest in public affairs whether associated with the working of our local bodies or not, has come to realize that Local Self Government in our Province and perhaps in the whole country presents a tragic picture. With few exceptions the financial position of our local bodies is hopeless.' In efficiency and "Local body" have become sadonymous terms. Party strife based,

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not on party programmes but on personalities is rampart. Members of our local bodies waste most of their time and energy and sometimes also public funds over the appointment and dismissal of their employees who are untrained and anything but efficient."

The picture that Dr. D. P. Mishra, had drawn of local administration in 1938 is very much true even now.

It is however not enough to call a thing bad. The problem today is that when these intellectuals who have recommended the formation of local bodies, come to condemn these very institutions alongwith the illeterrate grudging tax payer, it becomes apparent that the scheme of local Self Government has almost everywhere failed. It is, therefore, necessary to enquire into the reasons of this failure and the remedies that may ractify these defects.

Truly speaking, there are 4 links in local administration viz, the public, the representatives, the employees and the State. Even when one of these links is weak, progress of a healthy local Self Government is warped. In any democracy, public opinion has a great force, and so in a modern democracy, the validity of Maxim "As the people, so the Government." Has acquired a great relevance. The people send their representatives into the administration by casting their popular votes and these elected persons ultimately have a say over the bodies. This leads some time to weakening of the administration as in the absence of proper public liason, the elected representatives do not discharge their duties faithfully. This makes, it necessary that the public should more effectively influence the administration and while criticising the various undesirable activities which crop up into day to day administration, it also binds positive support to these acts which are done in genuine public interest.

Elected Representatives

that the only yardstick of success lies in getting things done for those who have voted for them. But for a proper administration, it is necessary that these elected representatives are aware of the rules and regulations of the municipal bodies and are competent at making policies and at taking prompt decisions. A high moral character, fairness in decision and action, patience ability and to be soft spoken, are some of the prerequisities of good people's representative so that they not only secure constant public support but also the loyality of the employees without which no administration can be properly managed.

The employees are the most important link in any administrative machinery. While the persons of deliberative wing (people's representatives) are the brain of a municipal council, its limbs are the employees. So it is incumbent that the two work in great cohesion. If, however there is any lack of proper corelationship, the municipality attains a state of paralysis, and its activities are very much jeopardised.

The rasponsibilities of the state Government for a proper municipal administration is not insignificant because it is the state Government which provides the municipalities with a proper Constitution and further it imposes upon it various restrictions and limitations.

Effective Public Control

The farther, any administration is from effective public control, the more slack will it be in administrative efficiency. And for a proper development of the municipalities, it is essential that they formulate schemes, for planned development, consult the people, hold discussions on various schemes and disseminate the schemes among the members of the public. By educating the people a municipality can reach the doors of the common citizen and invite a greater public participation in the various schemes and also a more healthy criticism of these.

The absence of a healthy mutual relationship between the various members of a municipality and the voters of their constituency may also lead to a failure in municipal administration.

It is easy to make promises during an election but it may be difficult to put them into action, when elected. Mutual tensions, lack of planned effort, deflated finances, absence of technical personel and shortage of competent workers are some of the several reasons which prevent many of the promises made to the electorate from being fullfilled. This creates an antagonism between the voters and their elected representatives leading to an additional load of public annoyance falling on the permanent employees. Only those councillors are successful who do not make any false promise and carry out their duties according to law. Political groupism also keep the councillors apart. Sometimes, opposition for opposition sake weakens the functions of a Municipal Council. Of late, in certain States however, candidates for municipal election are not allotted the official symbols of political parties and this method had been found beneficial for the tightening up of municipal administration. Administration More Complicated

Today, the Municipal Administration has increasingly become more and more complicated and difficult. A foreign expert had recently said that while it is easier for a Central or State minister to formulate policies and schemes for administration, it is extremely difficult for the chairman of a Municipal Council to operate these schemes. Lord Bryce had said :

"Municipal Administration has become more and more a business matter for experts in such sciences as Sanitation and Engineering. The chief duty of a elected council has therefore come to be that of appointing and supervising the permanent officials and for this, a comparatively small council can well suffice even in a large city."

According to the Municipalities Act, of Madhya Pradesh the power of a municipality vests in the Municipal Council but as this body, being a large one, can not meet every day, most of its functions devalue on the President of the council, whose efficiency, loyalty tactfulness and ability to take a quick decision are constantly utilised. The President Municipal Council therefore, is an important link between the two phases of a

Municipality and his success very much depends on the extent to which he possesses the aforesaid qualities. But as soon as he enters office, he comes to be surrounded by the public, the-Councillors and the employees in such a manner that whether it is his house or his office, he has an interminable series of visitors who often indulge in sychophency, thus preventing him from having free time either to think or to act. This only exposes the Council to pulls and pressures and the real administrative work suffers.

On the other hand, the relationship between the electors and the elected candidates ceases to be a vital force for 4 years after the election. The ineffectiveness of the voter leads to a sense of uncritical confidence. Such a situation has, in the West led to the provisions of "Referendum" and "Recall" which force the elected representative to be aware of the voters' will even after the election.

The relation between the employees and the Council, if friendly, cordial, and respect

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ful, helps the satisfactory functioning of both these wings of a Municipality. While their absence may only be a drag on its normal working. A sense of consideration, sympathy, faith of confidence reposed by the office bearers in their subordinates, induces smoother working and reduces administrative tension and personnel complications. Shortage Of Technical Personnel

The other Problem, as described by the then union Deputy Minister of Health Mr. P. S. Nasker at a Seminar in Chandigarh on 5th April 1965, relates to the short age of technical men in our Municipalities. It is indeed a fact that low pay and uncertain conditions of service prevent competent persons from joining the municial services. To regulate these conditions, it was provided in the Municipal Act of Madhya Pradesh to form three state municipal services but the relevent rules have not yet been framed, what to talk of framing of the services. The present employees, therefore live in uncertainties of service without any prospects of promotion

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