With The Growing Pace Of Urbani¬Zation And The Continuing Accent On Democratic Decentralisation, The Local Authorities Have Assumed Their Impor¬Tance And They Can Be Assigned A Useful And Effective Role In Implemen¬Ting Local Development Programmes. But Finance Is The Key Determining Factor And This Is What The Author Has Sought To Study About. The Author Has Examined Some Very Controversial Issues Relating To Devolution Of Resour¬Ces In Depth. The General Apathy Of The Higher Level Of Governments In Giving Grants And Loans To The Lower Level Of Governments Has Also Been Verified. The Author Contends That The Rate Of Growth Of Economic Develop¬Ment Can Be Accelerated If Local Governments Are Associated With The Planning Process And Has Suggested The Ways In Which Federal Fiscal Devo¬Lution Can Help To Achieve The Broader Economic And Social Objectives. Credit Goes To The Author In Examining Urban Local Finance Rather Neglected In The Study Of Government Finances Which Now Seeks To Concentrate On The Finances Of Union And State Govern¬Ments Only.

SPAN had begun in 1948 as a consortium between the University of Minnesota and about a dozen colleges that cultivated international understanding through practical academic research. Each year four (sometimes three) countries were selected as destinations. It was and is, because SPAN continues todaya self-financed program through voluntary donations by businesses in the Upper Midwest as well as by contributions from the participants themselves (known as SPANners). The program was oriented toward upper classmen (in that age of gender insensitive terminology) so applicants were usually students in their Junior (or third) year of undergraduate studies.

Local Government in India provides an insight into the system of urban local governance in India and traces its evolution since independence. Urban governments are the organs for promoting grass root democracy and providing not only civic services for the welfare of the local people but also for carrying out the task of urban development and planning. This book tries to analyze their role and existence in the face of rapid urbanization, population growth and industrialization.