Worksheet Solutions: Our Government

Q1: True or False.

(i) The head of a municipal committee is called the president.
Ans: False
Explanation: The head of a municipal committee is usually called the Chairperson or Chairman. In larger urban local bodies, the head may be called the Mayor, but "President" is not the usual term for a municipal committee.

(ii) The government builds roads.
Ans: True
Explanation: Building and maintaining roads is one of the responsibilities of the government at the local, state or central level. Good roads help people travel and transport goods safely.

(iii) A new municipal committee is elected every year.
Ans: False
Explanation: Municipal committees are elected at regular intervals, but not every year. Usually, elections are held once every few years (commonly every five years).

(iv) Municipal corporations provide civic amenities only in villages.
Ans: False
Explanation: Municipal corporations provide civic amenities in urban areas such as cities and towns. Villages are looked after by local bodies called gram panchayats or panchayats.

(v) The head of a municipal committee is called a mayor.
Ans: False
Explanation: The head of a municipal committee is usually the Chairperson or Chairman. The title Mayor is normally used for the head of a municipal corporation in a larger city.

Q2: Underline the correct answers.

(i) Local self-governing bodies collect money through taxes/donations.
Ans: taxes
Local self-governing bodies get money mainly by collecting taxes (for example, property tax, water charges) and also receive grants from the state or central governments to meet their expenses.

(ii) The minimum age to vote in a municipal election is 18 / 21 years.
Ans: 18
People who are 18 years old or older can vote in municipal elections. This is the legal voting age for local, state and national elections.

(iii) A hospital/restaurant is a civic amenity.
Ans: hospital
Explanation: Civic amenities are services provided for the public good, such as hospitals, schools, drinking water and roads. A restaurant is a private business, not a civic amenity.

Q3: Fill in the Blanks.

(i) Civic amenities such as drinking water and electricity are provided by the ________________.
Ans: government
Civic amenities like drinking water, electricity and sanitation are provided by the government at local, state or central levels so that everyone can use them.

(ii) The local self-government in villages is known as ________________.
Ans: gram panchayat

A gram panchayat is the local self-government body in a village. It takes decisions for the development and upkeep of the village.

(iii) Municipal corporations are found in cities with a population of more than ________________.
Ans: 10 lakh
In India, large cities with a population of more than 10 lakh (1 million) usually have a municipal corporation to manage civic services.

(iv) The elected members of a municipal committee are called ________________.
Ans: municipal councillors
People elect municipal councillors from different wards to represent their local area in the municipal committee.

(v) Local bodies collect money for functioning through various ________________.
Ans: taxes

Local bodies collect funds mainly through different types of taxes (for example, property tax) and also receive grants from higher levels of government to run services.

Q4: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).

(i) Who provides civic amenities to the people at the local level?
(a) State government
(b) Central government
(c) Local self-government
(d) International organisations
Ans: (c)
Explanation: Local self-government bodies like municipal committees or gram panchayats look after local services such as water supply, street cleaning and local roads.

(ii) What is the head of a municipal corporation called?
(a) Chairperson
(b) President
(c) Mayor
(d) Deputy Mayor
Ans: (c)
Explanation: The head of a municipal corporation in a city is called the Mayor. The Mayor leads the corporation and represents the city.

(iii) Which city has the oldest municipal corporation in India?
(a) Kolkata
(b) Mumbai
(c) Delhi
(d) Chennai
Ans: (d)

Explanation: The Chennai Municipal Corporation is the oldest municipal corporation in India, set up long ago to manage city services.

(iv) Municipal elections are held every ________________ years.
(a) 2
(b) 3
(c) 4
(d) 5

Ans: (d)

Explanation: Municipal elections are normally held every five years so people can choose their local representatives again.

(v) Local bodies collect money through various types of ________________.
(a) Donations
(b) Loans
(c) Taxes
(d) Grants
Ans: (c)
Explanation: Local bodies mainly collect money through different kinds of taxes, such as property tax; they also receive grants from the state and central governments.

Q5: Correct and Rewrite the Following Statements.

(i) The government provides only two civic amenities to the people.
Ans: The government provides many civic amenities to the people, such as drinking water, electricity, roads, schools and hospitals.

(ii) Nagar palika and nagar nigam are the same terms for a municipal corporation.
Ans: These terms are related but are used for different types of urban local bodies. Nagar Nigam usually refers to a municipal corporation for a large city, while Nagar Palika refers to a municipal council for a smaller town.

(iii) Municipal councillors are appointed by the state government.
Ans: Municipal councillors are elected by the people living in the wards, not appointed by the state government.

(iv) Local bodies never receive any money from the state government.
Ans: Local bodies do receive money from the state government in the form of grants and funds, in addition to the taxes they collect locally.

(v) Municipal elections are held every ten years.
Ans: Municipal elections are normally held every five years, not every ten years.

Q6: Write any Two Differences between the Following.

(i) Municipal Committee and Municipal Corporation
Ans: 

• Municipal Committee: Looks after smaller towns and has fewer powers and a smaller budget.
• Municipal Corporation: Made for larger cities (usually population over 10 lakh) and has greater powers and responsibilities.

(ii) Mayor and Deputy Mayor
Ans:

• Mayor: The elected head of a municipal corporation who leads meetings and represents the city.
• Deputy Mayor: The person who assists the Mayor and acts in the Mayor's place if the Mayor is absent.

Q7: Name the Following.

(i) The elected members who represent different wards in a city.
Ans: Municipal councillors

(ii) The head of a municipal committee.
Ans: Chairperson or Chairman

(iii) The type of tax collected by local bodies for their functioning.
Ans: Property tax

(iv) The oldest municipal corporation in India.
Ans: Chennai Municipal Corporation

(v) The government elected by the people at the local level.
Ans: Local self-government

Q8: Answer these questions.

(i) Where do the local bodies get money from?
Ans: Local bodies get money from three main sources: local taxes (for example, property tax), charges for services, and grants or funds given by the state and central governments.

(ii) Who elects the members of the local bodies?
Ans: Members of local bodies are elected by the people living in that area. Every adult voter in a ward can vote to choose their representative. The term of office is usually five years.

(iii) What is local self-government?
Ans: Local self-government is a system in which people living in a locality elect their own representatives to look after local needs and services of that area.

(iv) What are civic amenities? Give two examples.
Ans: Civic amenities are basic public services provided for people's daily needs. Examples: drinking water and street lights.

(v) How are members of a municipal committee or corporation elected?

Ans: Members are elected by the people through voting. Each ward in the city elects one member to represent it.

(vi) What is the purpose of dividing a city into wards for elections?
Ans: Dividing a city into wards helps each area get fair representation. It makes it easier for local problems to be raised by the ward representative.

(vii) How do local bodies collect money for their functioning?
Ans: Local bodies collect money mainly through taxes (such as property tax), by charging fees for some services, and by receiving grants from the state and central governments.

(viii) Why is it important to cooperate with local bodies in our area?
Ans: Cooperating with local bodies helps them keep the area clean, maintain roads, fix water supply problems and make sure civic services work well for everyone.

Q9: Think and Answer.

Harjeet is a 19-year-old boy from Amritsar visiting his friend Selvan in Mumbai. Selvan is 17 years old. Can Harjeet and Selvan vote in the municipal elections? Why or why not?
Ans: Harjeet can vote because he is 19 years old. Selvan cannot vote because he is only 17. The legal voting age for municipal, state and national elections is 18 years.