CBSE Important Questions for Class 6 Social Science Grassroots Democracy Part 3 - Local Government in Urban Areas - 2025-26

1. What are urban local bodies?
Ans: Urban local bodies are decentralised government structures in cities and towns that allow residents to participate in managing their area through elected representatives.

2. What is a ward in urban governance?
Ans: A ward is a smaller unit of a city or town, which is used for administrative purposes. Each ward has a committee that manages local issues like infrastructure and public services.

3. What is a Municipal Corporation?
Ans: A Municipal Corporation is the top urban local body in large cities with a population of over 1 million. It manages the city's infrastructure, public services, and development.

4. What is a Nagar Panchayat?
Ans: A Nagar Panchayat is the governing body for smaller towns or cities with a population between 20,000 and 100,000. It oversees local administration and development.

5. What is participatory democracy?
Ans: Participatory democracy is a system in which citizens actively participate in decision-making and governance at all levels, from local to national.

6. How is urban governance different from rural governance?
Ans: Urban governance is more complex than rural governance because cities have larger and more diverse populations, as well as more intricate needs like transportation, waste management, and housing. While both urban and rural governance involve local bodies, cities are divided into wards and often have Municipal Corporations, whereas rural areas have Panchayats.

7. What role do ward committees play in urban local bodies?
Ans: Ward committees help manage local issues within a city or town ward. They address problems like water leaks, road damage, and waste management. These committees also organise community activities such as health camps and campaigns, making sure residents' needs are met at the local level.

8. How does a Municipal Corporation fund its activities?
Ans: A Municipal Corporation funds its activities through taxes, fines, and fees for services like property tax, water charges, business licenses, and solid waste management. It may also charge for services such as water tankers, ambulance services, and marriage certificates.

9. What is the significance of the Madras Corporation?
Ans: The Madras Corporation, established in 1688, is the oldest municipal institution in India. It marked the beginning of organised urban governance in the country, with the power to levy municipal taxes and manage the city's administration.

10. How do urban local bodies ensure citizen participation?
Ans: Urban local bodies ensure citizen participation by allowing residents to elect representatives who voice their concerns. Ward committees give people the opportunity to directly engage in decision-making and report issues like infrastructure problems or public health concerns.

11. How do urban local bodies contribute to the development of cities and towns?
Ans: Urban local bodies contribute to the development of cities and towns by managing infrastructure, public services, and local development plans. They address issues like waste management, water supply, road maintenance, and public health. By collecting taxes and fees, they fund their activities and ensure that essential services reach residents. Through participatory democracy, they also involve citizens in decision-making, allowing people to voice their needs and concerns. This local-level governance ensures that cities are managed efficiently and that urban development is sustainable.

12. How do Municipal Corporations differ from Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats?
Ans: Municipal Corporations govern large cities with populations above 1 million, managing more complex infrastructure and services. Municipal Councils, or Nagar Palikas, manage smaller cities with populations between 100,000 and 1 million. Nagar Panchayats govern towns with populations between 20,000 and 100,000. While all three bodies perform similar functions like managing public services and infrastructure, Municipal Corporations handle larger budgets and more intricate urban planning, reflecting the greater complexity of larger cities compared to smaller towns.

13. What are the key functions of urban local bodies like the Indore Municipal Corporation?
Ans: Urban local bodies like the Indore Municipal Corporation perform various key functions, including property tax collection, water supply management, waste disposal, and issuing business licenses. They also manage public services such as fire services, tree cutting, marriage certificates, and grievance handling. Indore's Municipal Corporation is also involved in maintaining clean city status by implementing waste segregation, sanitation campaigns, and ensuring civic engagement, making the city cleaner and better organised.

14. How does the Swachh Survekshan scheme promote cleanliness in cities like Indore?
Ans: The Swachh Survekshan scheme encourages cities to improve cleanliness and hygiene by ranking them based on various cleanliness parameters. Cities like Indore have excelled by engaging citizens in waste segregation, proper garbage disposal, and maintaining public spaces. The scheme promotes public awareness, citizen participation, and better governance in urban areas, leading to cities becoming cleaner and healthier for residents.

15. Why is it important for citizens to participate in urban governance?
Ans: Citizen participation in urban governance is crucial because it ensures that local issues are addressed based on the needs of the people. By reporting problems like water leaks, road damage, or poor waste management, citizens help local bodies identify and resolve issues quickly. In a participatory democracy, active involvement from residents ensures that the government is responsive, transparent, and accountable. This participation also fosters a sense of community responsibility, where everyone works together to maintain and improve their area.

16. How do urban local bodies ensure better governance in cities?
Ans: Urban local bodies ensure better governance by decentralising power, allowing local representatives to address the specific needs of their areas. They manage essential services such as water, waste disposal, and road maintenance, ensuring efficient city management. Through elected ward committees, they encourage citizen participation, making governance more responsive and transparent. By addressing local issues, these bodies ensure that the government is more accountable to the people.

17. How do urban local bodies contribute to environmental sustainability?
Ans: Urban local bodies contribute to environmental sustainability by promoting waste segregation, managing water resources, and organising campaigns to reduce pollution. They implement green initiatives such as tree planting and water conservation projects. By ensuring that cities adopt sustainable practices, urban local bodies help reduce environmental degradation, promote cleaner cities, and conserve resources for future generations.

18. What challenges do urban local bodies face in managing cities?
Ans: Urban local bodies face challenges such as limited financial resources, rapid population growth, and inadequate infrastructure. In many cities, the demand for services like water, waste management, and housing exceeds the available resources. Corruption and inefficiency can also hinder the effectiveness of local bodies. Additionally, urbanisation leads to complex issues like traffic congestion, pollution, and slum development, which require innovative solutions and long-term planning.

19. How can citizens support their local government in improving urban services?
Ans: Citizens can support their local government by participating in ward meetings, reporting problems like broken infrastructure or water leaks, and following waste segregation rules. By staying informed and engaged, they can help local bodies identify issues and suggest solutions. Responsible behaviour, such as paying taxes on time, following public health guidelines, and supporting community initiatives, ensures that urban services are efficient and effective.

20. What is the role of ward committees in improving urban governance?
Ans: Ward committees play a vital role in improving urban governance by addressing local issues like road repairs, waste management, and public health. They act as a link between the residents and the higher authorities in the Municipal Corporation, ensuring that concerns are reported and addressed. Ward committees also encourage citizen participation, giving residents a voice in how their area is managed and ensuring that governance is transparent and responsive.

21. How do Nagar Panchayats manage smaller towns?
Ans: Nagar Panchayats manage smaller towns by overseeing local development and providing basic services such as water supply, waste management, and road maintenance. They are responsible for ensuring that government schemes reach the local population and that the town's infrastructure is maintained.

22. What services are provided by Municipal Corporations like Indore’s?
Ans: Municipal Corporations like Indore’s provide services such as property tax collection, water supply, waste management, business licenses, marriage certificates, fire services, and funeral vans. They also offer services on request, like water tankers and ambulance services, to ensure the smooth functioning of the city.

23. Why is it important for cities to have a clean and well-maintained environment?
Ans: A clean and well-maintained environment is important for cities because it promotes public health, reduces the spread of diseases, and enhances the quality of life for residents. Clean cities are more attractive for businesses, tourism, and investment, contributing to overall economic growth.

24. What are some ways citizens can help improve cleanliness in their city?
Ans: Citizens can help improve cleanliness in their city by segregating waste, reporting garbage issues, reducing the use of single-use plastics, and keeping public spaces clean. Participating in community clean-up drives and supporting local waste management initiatives also contribute to a cleaner environment.

25. How do urban local bodies ensure the implementation of government schemes?
Ans: Urban local bodies ensure the implementation of government schemes by monitoring progress, allocating resources, and ensuring that funds reach the intended projects. They work closely with state and central governments to implement schemes related to housing, sanitation, infrastructure, and public health, ensuring that these initiatives benefit local communities.

5 Important Topics from Class 6 Social Science Chapter 12 you must know

Benefits of Important Questions for Class 6 Social Science Chapter 12

• This FREE PDF on Important Questions provides students with structured questions covering key topics in urban governance, making concepts like Municipal Corporations, Councils, and Ward Committees easy to understand and revise.

• By focusing on participatory democracy, these questions highlight how students and their families can actively engage in their city's management, fostering awareness about the responsibilities of both citizens and urban local bodies.

• Designed by expert teachers, these questions are aligned with the CBSE syllabus, ensuring that students are well-prepared for their exams and can tackle questions confidently.

• Easily downloadable, this PDF offers on-the-go learning, allowing students to revise important questions and improve their knowledge of local government at their convenience.

• Covering practical aspects of urban management, like waste disposal, water supply, and infrastructure, the PDF links textbook learning to real-life governance, making the subject more relatable and comprehensive.

Conclusion:

In Class 6 Social Science Chapter 12 - Grassroots Democracy: Part 3, we look at how cities and towns are governed through local bodies like Municipal Corporations, Councils, and Nagar Panchayats. These organisations handle important tasks like waste collection, water supply, and local development. The chapter shows how people in cities can be involved in decision-making, just like in villages. Vedantu’s important questions for this chapter help students understand how urban governance works and are useful for exam preparation. Download the FREE PDF to get more insights and practise for your exams.

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