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The Nagarpalika bill

State legislatures can decide the composition of municipalities.

State legislatures can decide whether they want committees at the ward level or other levels within a municipal area.

The state legislatures will decide the power and authority they want to give municipalities.

Seats will be reserved for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and women.

Tenure of municipalities will be five years.

Power to impose taxes will be decided by the state legislatures.

A finance commission will be constituted to review the financial position of the municipalities.

Subjects to be looked after by municipalities include urban planning, land use regulations, urban forestry, urban poverty alleviation and slum improvement.

JPC recommendations

State legislatures should decide all matters relating to the elections to municipalities.

Power of the Parliament to extend the provisions of the bill to scheduled areas and tribal areas should be exercised only if the concerned state legislature passes a resolution to that effect.

Where there is a rural-urban interface, a district planning committee with proportionate representation from municipalities and panchayats of the district should be formed.

For the development of 23 metropolitan cities and their fringe areas, a committee for metropolitan planning should be formed. The powers of these urban bodies should be decided by state legislatures.

The financial position of municipal bodies should be strengthened through efficient tax collection, restructuring of financial mechanisms and mobilisation of additional resources through new taxes.

The subjects looked after by municipalities should include protection of the urban environment.

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