Local government

 Q. What is mean by local government? How it is different from central government? What are the necessities or importance behind the establishment of local government?

Local government: Generally, local government means units of the central government of a state. Local government means part of the government which deals with local affairs. Such as local governments in Bangladesh are union parishads, upazilas, districts, etc.

Local government is such a system by which the government devaluate his powers and confers powers to local authority. Local government is most vital institution in modern democratic country. It is almost impossible to exercise governmental function without devolution of powers to the local government.

Definition of local government given by United Nations is given below:-

Local government is a political sub-division of a nation or state, which constituted by law and has substantial control of local affairs, including the power to impose taxes or exact labor for prescribed person and the representative of local government will be elective or selective.

From the definition, it is clear that the local government have following characteristics:-

1. Political sub-division of a nation.

2. Constituted law.

3. Has substantive control over local affairs.

4. Power to impose taxes.

5. The representative of local government will be elective or selective.

6. Autonomous body.

7. Public organization, etc.

Constitutional aspects of local government: Local government is an authorized system by the Bangladesh constitution. Articles regarding local government in Bangladesh constitution are given below:-

1. Article 11 provided that effective participation by the people through their elected representatives in administration at all levels shall be ensured.

2. Article 59(1) provided for establishment of local government. Here it is prescribed that local government in every administrative unit of the Republic shall be entrusted to bodies, composed of persons elected in accordance with law.

3. Article 59(2) also provided that local government will perform functions relating to-

a. Administration and work of the public officers.

b. The maintenance of public order.

c. The preparation and implementation of plans relating to public service and economic development.

4. Article 60 has said about powers of local government bodies. Here it is said that parliament shall confer powers on local governments to implement function prescribed in article 59 and including power to impose taxes for local purposes, to prepare their budgets and to maintain funds.

Difference between local government and central government:

1. In scale and resources, job security and prospects, and technological sophistical, the central government is more superior to local government.

2. Ordinary citizens have easier access to decision-makers at local level than central government.

3. Central government much more deals with social investment.

Local government concerned with social consumption.

4. Central government officials often complain of local councils is being “petty” and “irresponsible”.

Local government officials often claim that central government insensitive, unnecessarily, wasteful and too little confound with the real needs of ordinary people.

5. Local government is only a part of the existing overall political administrative system of a country.

Necessities behind the establishment of local government:

1. To solve local problems locally and relief the central government.

2. To relieve the mps from their burdens of local responsibility, which people generally expects.

3. To reduce size of government.

4. To develop the leadership in the grass root levels of the society.

5. To decentralize administrative functions.

6. To make direct contract with citizen.

7. To decide prompt service to local people.

These are discussed below:-

1. To solve local problem locally: There have many local problems which not possible for the central government to solve directly. Central governments solve these problems through local governments. Local government is the primary stage of many civil and criminal disputes between local peoples. Generally, local governments solve petty disputes between the local peoples but they are large in number.

2. To relieve Mps: Mps have many responsibilities to the people of his elected area. People also have many expectations from Mps as their representative to the government. Local government reduce burden of Mps by continuing their functions.

3. To reduce size of government: By devolution of powers to local government, central government reduces his size. If central government not devaluate his powers then his size will be large and be out of control.

4. To develop leadership in the grass root level of the society: Local government helps to create leader from grass root level. It is the system which create opportunity to a person to express and develop his quality as a leader.

5. To decentralize administrative functions: Local government is such a system which decentralize administrative functions of the central government. General people get benefit of decentralization of administrative functions.

6. To make direct contract with the citizen: Local government is the bridge between the general people and government of the state. General people can express their expectation to the government through local government.

7. To decide prompt service to the local people: Local government can decide and take instant steps at the time of natural disaster or any other problems, which is very complicated and lazy process for the central government.

Q. what are the different problems or weakens facing by the local government bodies in establishing a strong local government system in Bangladesh? Give your suggestions to overcome these problems.

Weakens of local government:

1. Domination and interfere by the central government.

2. Political interference.

3. Marginal devolution of power by central government.

4. Local government is much more corrupted than central government.

5. Still not fully autonomous.

6. Weak election system.

7. Lack of fund.

8. Lack of accountability.

9. Lack of co-ordination.

10. Not familiar with the modern technology and equipment.

11. Lack of strong mechanism for supervision and monitoring system.  

Suggestion:

1. Educational qualification.

2. Training institution.

3. Departmental accountability.

4. Accountability to general people.

5. Modern technology.

6. Full power.