LET’S EXPLORE (Page 174)
Question: Why is a city like Kolkata, Chennai or Mumbai more complex and diverse than a village or a town?
Answer: A city like Kolkata, Chennai, or Mumbai is more complex and diverse because it has many different kinds of people living together. In a city, people have different jobs, speak different languages, follow different religions, and come from many places. Cities also have more vehicles, tall buildings, busy markets, and different types of businesses. This makes the city life more complicated and mixed compared to a smaller village or town.
Question: With your classmates, make a list of diverse communities residing in any city that you are familiar with. How many were you able to list? What else do you observe in the list?
Answer: If we take a big city like Mumbai, we can find people who are Maharashtrian, Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Punjabi, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, and many more. We might list more than ten different groups. We also notice that people from different communities bring their own festivals, foods, clothes, and customs. This makes city life colorful and interesting.
LET’S EXPLORE (Page 175)
Question: In Fig. 12.2 above, what similarities and differences do you notice between the Panchayati Raj system and the urban local government?
Answer: Similarities: Both systems have elected members who represent the people. They also try to solve local problems and improve the lives of the people who live there.
Differences: The Panchayati Raj system works mainly in villages and is simpler. Urban local governments work in cities and towns, and they have more complicated tasks because cities are bigger and have more people, roads, buildings, and services to manage.
LET’S EXPLORE (Page 177)
Question: Can you think of four or five more actions that responsible citizens might take to help their area of the city?
Answer: Yes, responsible citizens can:
- Throw garbage in dustbins and follow proper waste rules.
- Plant trees and take care of them.
- Follow traffic rules and encourage others to do the same.
- Help keep streets clean by not spitting or littering.
- Report any broken streetlights or damaged roads to the local ward office.
THINK ABOUT IT (Page 179)
Question: Indore in Madhya Pradesh has been awarded the cleanest city in India under the Swachh Survekshan government scheme for seven years in a row. What could have been the role of Indore citizens in this achievement?
Answer: The citizens of Indore must have played a big role. They followed the waste rules, threw garbage in the right places, kept their streets and homes clean, and worked together to support cleanliness drives. They also cooperated with the government officials and took part in cleanliness programs. Because everyone helped, Indore could stay very clean for many years.
LET’S EXPLORE (Page 179)
Question: Select a few cities, from your State and from a few neighbouring States. These may include the city you live in or the city nearest to your town or village. How will you find out if they have a Nagar Panchayat, Municipal Council or Municipal Corporation? Draw a table with the names of the cities and the type of urban local body each of them has.
Answer: We can find out by checking the city’s official website, asking teachers, elders, or by reading newspapers. For example:
City | Type of Urban Local Body
Jaipur | Municipal Corporation
Ajmer | Municipal Council
Pushkar | Nagar Panchayat
(This is just an example. The actual answer can change based on the cities chosen by the student.)
Question: How do urban local bodies fund their activities? Are some of them paid services?
Answer: Urban local bodies get money from local taxes like property tax, water tax, and charges for services. They also earn money when they give licenses for shops or when people pay parking fees. Yes, some are paid services. For example, if you want to book a water tanker, debris clearance service, or rent an auditorium, you must pay a fee. This helps the local government earn money to provide good services.
QUESTIONS, ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS (Pages 181–182)
- Question: On your way to school, you and your friends notice that a water pipe is leaking. A lot of water is being wasted on account of the leak. What would you and your friends do in such a situation?
Answer: We would immediately tell a teacher or an adult about the leak. We could also find out which ward we are in and report it to the local ward office or the water department. By informing the right people quickly, we help stop the wastage of water.
- Question: Invite a member of an urban local body near you to your class. Discuss with them their role and responsibilities. Prepare a set of questions to ask them so that the meeting is fruitful.
Answer:
If a member visits our class, we could ask questions like:
• What are your daily duties?
• How do you solve problems like broken roads or dirty areas?
• How can students help in keeping the city clean?
• How do you use the taxes collected from people?
• How do you ensure everyone’s voice is heard?
(Students can adjust questions as needed. The main idea is to learn about their work.)
- Question: Discuss with adult members of your family and neighbourhood, and make a list of their expectations from the urban local bodies.
Answer: Some expectations might be:
• Clean roads and proper garbage collection.
• Good street lighting.
• Safe drinking water supply.
• Quick repair of roads and drainage.
• Good parks and public places.
• Better safety and security in the area.
- Question: Make a list of characteristics of a good urban local body.
Answer: A good urban local body should:
• Listen to the people’s problems and solve them quickly.
• Keep the city clean and safe.
• Ensure a steady water and electricity supply.
• Maintain good roads and public facilities.
• Plan well for the future growth of the city.
• Be fair, honest, and helpful to all citizens.
- Question: What are the similarities and differences between the Panchayati Raj system in rural areas and the urban local bodies?
Answer: Similarities: Both have elected members, both try to make life better for people, and both help solve local problems.
Differences: The Panchayati Raj system works in villages. It is simpler because villages are smaller. Urban local bodies work in cities and towns, which are bigger and have more people, buildings, roads, and many different services. Urban local bodies have to handle more complex issues than Panchayats.