History and Evolution of the Directorate of Municipal Administration

The amended Maharashtra Municipal Act 1965 came into effect in 1965. Under Chapter 4 (Municipal Administration and District Collector) of this Act, Section 74 provides for the establishment of the position of Director to oversee and supervise the functioning of Municipal Councils and Municipal Panchayats established under this Act. Various sections of the Act stipulate the different responsibilities and powers of the Director. Additionally, the government has, from time to time, entrusted the Directorate with powers and responsibilities vested in it under this or other Acts/Rules, as well as various responsibilities related to the implementation of urban poverty alleviation, infrastructure development, urban service and administrative reforms, public health, and environment-related campaigns/programs conducted by the State and Central governments for urban areas.

Until 1993, the Secretary of the Urban Development Department served as the ex-officio Director of Municipal Administration, and the Municipal Council Directorate, comprising various positions including that of Deputy Director, was responsible for controlling and supervising the Municipal Councils (then known as Municipalities) across the state. From 1993 onwards, the independent position of Director, Municipal Administration Directorate was created, and Indian Administrative Service officers began to be appointed to this position. Since then, various officers from different grades of the Indian Administrative Service have been appointed to this position.

With the 74th Constitutional Amendment approved in 1992 and implemented in 1993, urban local bodies received constitutional status, and there was a substantial increase in their various responsibilities and powers. In accordance with this constitutional amendment, various amendments were made to the Act in 1994 regarding the duties, powers, elections, etc., of Municipal Councils, and provisions related to the State Finance Commission and State Election Commission were incorporated. Additionally, the Directorate is responsible for requesting, distributing, and controlling the utilization of grants provided to local self-government institutions as per the recommendations of the Central Finance Commission, as well as ensuring the implementation of reform programs determined by the Central Government from time to time in connection with these grants.