The events of 1857, however, had an eye-opening and softening Influence on the British rulers and the subsequent years saw numerous steps being taken for decentralisation, to usher in local self-governing institutions in the rural and urban areas. The first legal provision for the rural areas was the passing of the N. W. R, and Oudh Local Rates Act, 1871 followed by the Local Boards Act of 1833 which provided for the establishment of district and tahsil boards. The N. W. P. and Oudh Municipalities Act 1883, gave greater autonomy and financial powers to the municipalities allowing them to contribute towards education from their own funds, in addition to their functions as before relating to sanitation, drainage, lighting. public health and regulation of markets. The most outstanding feature of the U. P. Municipalities Act, 3916, was the introduction of the system of communal representation in the municipal boards, separate seats being allotted to Hindus (called general) and Muslims. Women were also made eligible But the control of government over the municipal boards including their dissolution and supersession remained as before. There was no major change in the constitution, powers and functions, etc.. of the municipal boards till the achievement of independence in 1947. By an amendment made in the Act in 1949, communal representation in the municipal elections was abolished, having only two categories namely the general and the Scheduled Castes, and the method of election was democratised through adult franchise. Another amendment in, 1953, changed the nomenclature of chairman of the board to president and provided for his direct election on an experimental basis. However, later on, indirect elections were reintroduced and the municipal area was divided into wards which elected the members.

This was followed by the U. P. Nagar Mahapalika Adhiniyam, 1959, which empowered the State government to frame rules for centralisation of any post in the mahapalikas (corporations) and municipal boards. Municipal board looks after the work of sanitation, water-supply street lighting and public health besides the registration of births and deaths.

In 1974-75 there were three municipalities, seven town areas, 14 Kshettra Samitis, 1,130 gaon panchayats and Zila Parishad in the district.

Etawah

The city of Etawah was constituted a municipality in 1863 and the provisions of Act XXVI of 1850 were extended to the town with the object of making better provisions for conservancy and for the general improvement. A municipal committee was then for the first time instituted; it consisted of five officers and seven persons. The constitution of this committee was modified by Act VI of 1868, which provided for the gradual introduction of the elective principle. The Act XV of 1883 established the system of election for all save the few official members, and this was replaced by Act I of 1900. The board consisted of 13 members, three of whom were appointed by the government and the remaining to elected from the various wards. The district magistrate was usually the chairman of the board. Later on the U. P. Municipalities Act. 1916 was made applicable to the board and, now, it is being administered under the said Act. It was only a IIIrd class municipal board up to 1957 when it was raised to class II. According to the census of [971 the area under the municipality is 9.35 sq. km. and the population is 85,894. The board now consists of 23 elected members including the president. The municipal area is divided into 10 wards. Three wards elect three members each and the rest two members each. The members are elected by the residents of the municipal area on the basis of adult franchise and these members elect the president. The term of office of the members and the president is five years which can be enhanced by the State government in special circumstances.

Finances — The income of the municipal board is mainly derived from sources like government grants and contributions, local taxes and rates. The expenditure is incurred mainly on general administration. public works, public health and sanitation. The total income of the board was Rs 24,37,100 and expenditure Rs 25,83,130 in \he year 1974-75.

Water-supply— The execution of waterworks began in 1938 but, due to the Second World War, the work was stopped. It was again started in the year 1951-52 and the water-supply began in the old town. In 1954-55 the water-supply was extended to the north zone also. There are seven tube-wells operating at present to feed the four overhead tanks having the capacity of 256.8 kl., 454 kl.. 227 kl., and 1,100 kl. respectively. There are 225 public taps and 3,842 private connections in the town. Water is supplied for 13 hours every day. The supply per day is 70 litres per head. The total length of pipeline in the town is 48.708 km. The board employs a waterworks engineer and other technical staff for the maintenance of the waterworks.

Public Health and Medical Services— The public health department of the board is looked after by the municipal medical officer of health. The board has a chief health inspector and 3 health inspectors. For the sanitation of the town the board has 50 bhisties (watermen) and 279 sweepers. A maternity centre is managed by the board where, at present, only a dai is employed.

Drainage — There are pukka and kutcha drains in the town which are cleaned daily.

Other Activities — There are 6 small parks in. the town which are maintained by the board. A library has been opened in the municipal office in 1962 and newspapers and books are provided in its reading room.

Bharthana

Formerly it was administered as a town area under the Bengal Chaukidari Act, 1856. On March 5, 1974 it was declared a municipality and is now administered under the U. P. Municipalities Act, 1916 as amended from time to time. The area under the municipality is 1.09 sq. km. and the population is 13,668 according to the census of 1971. The municipal area has been divided into three wards. Four members are elected from each ward. The board at present has 12 elected members including the president. The members of the board are elected by the residents of the municipal area on the basis of adult franchise. The term of the members and the president is five years.

Finances — The income of the municipal board is mainly derived from sources like government grants and contributions, local rates and taxes. The expenditure is incurred mainly on general administration, public works, public health and sanitation. The total income of the board was Rs 3,06,104 and expenditure Rs 3,14,942 in 1974-75.

Water-supply— The waterworks of the town was started in 1972. The water is drawn from a tube- well. Another tube-well is being constructed. There are 31 public taps and 474 private water connection in the town. Water is supplied for about 6 hours every day. The daily supply of water is about 24 litres per head, In 1974-75 about 86,737 kl. of water was supplied. The length of pipe-line in the town is 8.25 km. The board employs a supervisor and other staff for the maintenance of waterworks.

Street Lighting— The town was electrified in 1962. There are 265 electric lamps in the town for lighting the streets.

Public Health and Medical Services— The board employs three jamadars and 30 sweepers for the sanitation work.

Drainage — There are both pakka and kutcha drains in the town. All the drains are cleaned daily.

Auraiya

It was administered under the Bengal Chaukidari Act, 1856 from the year 1885 until April 1. 1907, when the place was declared a notified area under Act I of 1900. Its affairs were managed by a small committee appointed by the government It looked after the work of construction of roads, sanitation and street lighting.

On August 1, 1949 it was declared a municipality and is now administered under the U. P. Municipalities Act, 1916 as amended from time to time. The area under the municipality is 5.14 sq. km. and population according to the census of 1971 is 25,517. The board now consists of 16 elected members excluding the president. The municipal area is divided into 8 wards and each ward elects two members. The members are elected by the residents of the municipal area on the basis of adult franchise and they also elect the president. The term of office of the members and the president is five years which can be enhanced by the State government in special circumstances.

Finances—The income of the municipal board is derived from sources like government grants and contributions, local taxes and rates and the municipal property. The expenditure is incurred mainly on general administration, public works, public health and sanitation. The total income of the board was Rs 12,10.572 and expenditure Rs 12,72,968 in 1974-75.

Water-supply— The waterworks was completed in the year 1964 and the water is supplied by the two tube-wells which are operating at present. There are 66 public taps and 1674 private connections in the town. Water is supplied for about 12 hours every day and the daily supply per head is 67 litres. In 1974-75 about 5,38,075 kl. of water was supplied. The total length of pipeline in the town is 16 km. The board employs a waterworks engineer and other technical staff for the maintenance of waterworks.

Street Lighting—For street lighting in the town there are 275 electric bulbs and 113 kerosene oil lamps.

Public Health and Medical Services—The board looks after the work of sanitation and public health. Only two homoeopathic dispensaries are maintained by the board where about 7000 patients were treated in the year 1974-75.

Drainage—There are both kutcha and pukka drains in the town and their total lengths are 43: km. and 12.5 km, respectively. Almost the entire pukka drains of the town are cleaned daily. The sewer line is also being laid in the town.

Education—The board maintains an intermediate college for girls, a higher secondary school for boys and a montessori school. The number of students in the intermediate college is 544 and in the higher secondary school 431 and 75 in the montessory school The total number of teachers in these institutions is 37.

Other Activities—The board maintains two parks and a library and it spent Rs 7.078 on them in 1974-75.

TOWN AREAS

At present there are 7 town areas in the district which are administered under the U. P. Town Areas Act, 1914 (Act II of 1914V by committees, each consisting of a chairman and a number of

members, all being directly elected by the residents of the town, on the basis of adult franchise for a term of four years. The number of members of each committee depends on the population of the town. The committees are empowered to levy house tax, property tax, tax on agricultural land situated within the limits of the town area, etc. Other sources of income are sale proceeds of manure, license fees, fines, water tax, loans and grants given by the government and rents of nazul land, if any. The main heads under which these local bodies spend their funds are general administration, collection charges, water-supply, public health and sanitation, main- . tenance of public streets and drains and street lighting.

This place was formerly managed by a committee constituted under Act XXVI of 1850, but in October 1876 the provisions of the Bengal Chaukidari Act, 1856 were extended to it. At present it is being administered under the U. P. Town Areas Act, 1914. According to the census of 1971 it had an area of 2.59 sq. km. and the population of 11,295. Its administration is looked after by the town area committee consisting of 11 members including a chairman, all elected by the people of the town for a term of four years. This period can however, be extended by the government in special circumstances. The total income and expenditure of the committee was Rs 5,71,125 and Rs 6.07,412 respectively in 1974-75

The scheme for water-supply was started in 1965. There are more than 500 private connections and about 40 public taps. The total length of pipe line in the town is about 8 503 metres. The electricity ran into this town in 1975. There are 124 electric bulbs and 132 tube lights for lighting the streets.

Lakhna

It was administered under the Bengal Chaukidari Act, 1856, since 1871. At present it is being administered under the U. P. Town Areas Act, 1914. It had an area of less than one sq. km. and its population was 5,320 according to the census of 1971. It is administered by the town area committee consisting of 9 members including a chairman, all elected by the people of the town for a term of four years. This period is extendable by government in special circumstances. The total income of the committee was Rs 1,12,215 and expenditure Rs 1.12,110 in the year 1974-75. The water-supply work was completed in 1967 and now the water is supplied from the waterworks. These are 154 private connections and 22 public taps. The length of pipe-line in the town is 3.462 metres. Electricity was brought into this town in 1966 and, for lighting the streets, there are 80 electric bulbs.

Phaphund

It was declared a town area on 21st August, 1885 and since then it was administered under the provisions of Bengal Chaukidari Act, 1856. After the passing of the U. P. Town Areas Act, 1914. The total membership of the Zila Parishad, Etawah, is 59 which includes pramukhs and representatives of the Kshettra Samitis, the presidents of the municipal boards, representatives of the co-operative bank, representatives from the co-operative institutions, members of the Lok Sabha, members of the Vidhan Sabha, members of the Vidhan Parishad, member nominated by the government and also women and Scheduled Castes members. The normal term of the Zila Parishad and its members is five years but it may be extended by the State government. The members of Zila Parishad elect an adhyaksh and an up-adhyaksh for five years and one year respectively.

The functions of the Zila Parishad are very comprehensive and include all those of the former district board, district planning committee and Antarim Zila Parishad consisting of the co-ordination of the activities of the development blocks, implementation of the inter-block schemes and utilisation of the funds allotted by the government for purposes of agriculture, animal husbandry, irrigation, co-operation, village and cottage industries, medical and public health services, cultural activities and welfare of children, youth and women. The major sources of income of the Zila Parishad are government grants, taxes levied by it and fees from cattle pounds and cattle fairs. The main items of its expenditure  are public works and medical and public health services. The total income of the Zila Parishad was Rs 2,71,953 and expenditure Rs 2,71,953 during the year1973-74, the deficit being met by government grants.

Education—The Zila Parishad runs five high schools and two intermediate colleges. The total number of students in these schools and colleges is 3.253 and that of teachers 119.

Medical and Public Health Services—The public health department of the Parishad is looked after by the health officer. The Parishad also employs a vaid for supervision of the Ayurvedic dispensaries and an assistant superintendent (vaccination) for the vaccination department. There are 9 allopathic and 18 Ayurvedic dispensaries under the management of the Parishad where 82,701 and 33,729 patients respectively were treated during the year 1974-75. There was a maternity and child welfare centre of the Parishad which has now been abolished and such facility at that place, is now provided by the government.

Public Works—The Zila Parishad maintains about 93 km. of metalled and 326 km. of unmetalled roads, 33 ghats and 76 culverts. There were 14 Kshettra Samitis, one for every development block in the district in 1974-75. With the enforcement of the U. P. Kshettra Samitis and Zila Parishads Adhiniyam of 1961, functions of the erstwhile block development committees devolved upon the newly established Kshettra Samitis. Each Kshettra Samiti is constituted of all pradhans of constituent gaon sabhas, chairmen of town area committees or presidents of notified area committees, if any lying within the block area, representatives of co-operative institutions of the block and members of the Zila Parishad who are elected from the block. All members of the lower house of the Central and State legislatures whose constituencies include any part of the block and all members of the upper house of the Central and State legislatures who have their residence in the block and all members of the Central and State legislatures whose place of residence is in the district in which the block is situated and who have chosen to represent the block are ex-office members of the Kshettra Samitis. The members of the Kshettra Samiti may also co-opt certain number of women and persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and persons interested in planning and development provided they are registered as voters for the legislative assembly from any part of the block. The term of the Kshettra Samiti is five years. The members of the Kshettra Samiti elect the pramukh i.e., the presiding officer, out of the voters list for the legislative assembly from the area included in the block and one senior up-pramukh and one junior up-pramukh from among themselves, all for a five-year -term. The block development officer acts as the executive officer of the Kshettra Samiti which is responsible for the formulation and execution of the development schemes. The main activities of this body are the development of agriculture, live-stock and fisheries. construction of minor irrigation works, opening of health, maternity and child welfare centres, prevention and control of epidemics, promotion of cottage and village industries and co-operative institutions. Briefly the Kshettra Samiti acts as co-ordinating agency for all the gaon sabhas functioning within its jurisdiction in the implementation of their plan schemes and other programmes. It is particularly responsible for the implementation of inter-village projects in the block area.

Gaon Panchayats

Since ancient times, the villages in the country have been administered by their respective panchayats which exercised administrative and judicial powers. The number of panchayats had varied from time to time. In 1949, when the U. P. Panchayat Raj Act was enforced in the district, there were 570 gaon panchayats. Their number increased with the increase in population and in 1974-75 it was 1,130.

A gaon sabha is constituted for a village or group of villages with a minimum population of 250 persons and consists of all the adults of the village. The gaon panchayat, which is the executive organ of the gaon sabha, has a pradhan (president) and up-pradhan (vice-president), the former and the members of the gaon panchayat being elected initially by the adults of the village or gaon sabha for a term of five-years, extendable by the government. An up-pradhan (vice-president) is elected by the members of the gaon panchayat for a term of one year. The number of members of the gaon panchayat is determined in proportion to the population of the gaon sabha and generally ranges from 15 to 30.

The gaon sabha is intended to constitute the basis of an active and conscious peasant democracy which should not only integrate but also initiate all rural development policies and programmes. The functions of the panchayat include among others, construction, repairs cleansing and lighting of streets, sanitation, prevention of epidemics, up-keep and supervision of forests, waste lands, pastures, buildings, land or any other property of the gaon sabha registration of births, deaths and marriages, regulation of markets and fairs, provision of drinking water facilities and welfare of children, youth and women.

The main sources of income of a gaon panchayat are government grants, taxes collected by it and voluntary contributions by the local people. The total income of the gaon panchayats was Rs 13,03,800 during 1974-75. These panchayats incurred an expenditure of Rs 5,69,223 during 1974-75 on construction and development works.