Urban is one of the important and most growing sector particularly in developing countries. One of the predictions envisages that there will soon be four billion city dwellers on the planet, each of them producing consuming and travelling. These growing millions have to be fed, provided with housing, safe drinking water, sanitation and energy, and means of transportation. Management of these services is critical to raise the quality of living in city life. Many urban problems are the result of poor management, poor planning and absence of coherent urban policies rather than urbanization itself. Urban Management although a fragile yet a most important component of urban planning and development. The concept urban management is a recent, but, widely used concept as the urbanization is growing very fast.
The Urban governments be it central, state or urban local bodies generally carry out the responsibility for managing six inter-related urban sector i.e. urban land, natural environment, infrastructure, urban services and development.
i) Urban Land Use:
Management of urban land is of the prime responsibility of local governments. The equitable, efficient and effective management of urban land is essential for city development. A few important issues related to urban land management are follows:
a) Accurate and timely mapping, gathering and maintenance of land related data;
b) Fair and quick land registration procedures to facilitate effective administration of property rights;
c) Clear cut and fair mechanisms for assembly, transfer and disposal of land including a transparent market valuation mechanisms;
d) Effective policy and participatory planning of land users and
e) Efficient and effective procedures and systems for generating revenue from land through taxation and user fees.
ii) Natural Environment:
It is one of the important duties and responsibilities of local government to do proper management of natural environment of cities. The cities natural resources must be managed in a such a way that it is free from pollution and environmental degradation. If the cities, especially large towns environment are not managed properly, it would result in serious irreplaceable depletion of essential resources and affect safely to public health and the capacity of natural systems to sustain development. Therefore, there should be proper management of water resources, air quality and land resources in urban areas in tune with environmental protection and sustainable development.
iii) Infrastructure:
Infrastructure development is critical to urban development. The local government, therefore, need to do proper planning, provisioning, operation and maintenance of urban infrastructure such as road, water supply and treatment system, solid wade management system, provision of electricity, urban transport, housing, communication systems ranging from telephone services to telecommunication. A proper coordination among various divisions such as planning, constructing, operation and maintenance is essential for management of urban infrastructure.
iv) Urban Social Services:
Local governments are often called upon to manage a diverse range of social services in their areas. These services include urban health care facilities through dispensaries and clinics; education at least pre-primary and primary education; security from crime, public safety from fire and natural disaster and during emergencies; welfare programs of physically challenged and old age; poverty alleviation programe and provision of recreation i.e. open spaces, parks and part of cultural facilities. Provision of urban social services is equally important to that of urban infrastructure. The provision of urban services also called for establishment of schools, hospitals, old age home, care house for physically challenged, recreation clubs and parks. The judicious allocation of resources between various development infrastructure and service infrastructure is sine-quanon for holistic urban development.
v) Urban Economic Development:
Local governments influence economic development through policies and programmes, which has relation with investment climate, distribution of goods and services and other basic amenities; and provision of services through taxation and other mechanisms. These affect various sectors of urban economy:
a) Primary sector – economic activities, for example, agriculture activities performed in peri-urban areas in Indian context Nagar Panchayats;
b) Secondary Sector – activities relating to manufacturing and construction; and
c) Tertiary Sector – functions relating to services activities such as banking, insurance, information technology. The local government needs to make necessary urban employment provision in under to provide sustainable livelihood to urban migrant labourers. Strong urban economy is essential for faster urban development.