74th Amendment — Current Affairs 2026
Current Affairs Connections
15th Finance Commission Recommendations for Urban Local Bodies
February 2024The 15th Finance Commission has recommended significant grants for urban local bodies, totaling ₹1,21,055 crores for the period 2021-26. This directly relates to Articles 243Y and 243Z of the 74th Amendment, which provide for State Finance Commissions to review municipal finances. The Commission has emphasized performance-based grants tied to improvements in service delivery, financial management, and governance reforms. This development highlights the ongoing challenges in financial devolution to municipalities and the need for innovative funding mechanisms.
UPSC Angle: Questions may focus on the role of Finance Commissions in strengthening urban local bodies, the criteria for grants, and the relationship between constitutional provisions and practical implementation of financial devolution.
Smart Cities Mission 2.0 and Municipal Capacity Building
January 2024The government's announcement of Smart Cities Mission 2.0 emphasizes the role of urban local bodies as primary implementing agencies. This connects directly to Article 243W of the 74th Amendment, which empowers municipalities to prepare plans for economic development and social justice. The mission's focus on citizen participation, digital governance, and sustainable development aligns with the constitutional vision of municipalities as institutions of self-government. However, it also highlights the capacity constraints faced by many municipalities in implementing complex urban development projects.
UPSC Angle: Expected questions on the role of technology in urban governance, challenges in municipal capacity building, and the alignment between constitutional provisions and contemporary urban development strategies.