Urban Development with an Approach to the Role of Local Government in Iran

Subject Areas : Urban policy

Hojat  Mahkouii ¹ (Faculty of Azad University, Najafabad Branch)
Hasan  Bavir ² (PhD in Political Geography, Islamic Republic Broadcasting Organization, Lorestan, Iran)

Received: 2021-06-26 Accepted : 2021-10-25 Published : 2021-04-21

Keywords: city, Participation, Urban Development, Local Government, Local Institutions,

Abstract :

Today, development and independence within cities are among the main concerns of the rulers of various societies in the world. Paying attention to the affairs of cities in the age of globalization depends on strong and efficient management. This is not possible except by implementing the model of the local government and involving the people in their own urban affairs and realizing their citizenship rights. The main focus of underdevelopment problems in developing countries is cities. The increase in urban population and the continuous migration of villagers to densely populated cities have put severe pressure on urban infrastructure and prevented most of them from playing a favorable role in the development process in developing countries. Urban development depends heavily on urban infrastructure such as energy, roads and other resources. The present article uses a descriptive-analytical method using library resources to examine the role and position of local government in the development of Iranian cities. The results of this article show that some cities in Iran do not have a beautiful urban space and appearance. Decisions are usually dictated to municipalities from the top down. In municipalities, the presence of experts in urban affairs and urban planning is very low. Due to the geographical features of Iran, the model of local government in urban management and urban development can be effective.Extended AbstractIntroductionSolving the problems of urban underdevelopment in developing countries is not the responsibility of the government alone. Necessities such as the inefficiency of government agencies, lack of financial resources and increasing people's desire to participate in the affairs and pressure of international organizations are the problems raised within cities. But the optimal activity within cities depends on the existence of appropriate conditions in the four areas of government, municipality, non-governmental organizations, and local government. Theoretically, the government, which does not have the capacity in the structure, policies and programs to accept the participation and cooperation of actors such as non-governmental organizations, obviously does not have much space for the activities of these organizations. The importance of urban issues has never been more apparent than it is today. Now, after centuries, cities are considered as the most important fruits of human technological, artistic, cultural and social efforts. [Currently] One of the factors that creates vitality and vitality in cities and towns is diversity in them. Different areas have different properties, activities, sizes, uses, and functions. Some places are lively and crowded and others are quiet and remote. In these cities there will be complex compositions: dense areas, memorial and open areas, soft areas (green space), hard areas (buildings), old areas, new areas, areas with tall buildings and areas with short buildings, shopping malls and Commercial, recreational and leisure areas, and this diversity must be recognized in order to define the relevant features of the areas.MethodologyThis article uses a descriptive-analytical method, using library resources and documents, and Internet sites, to ask the question, what is the role of local government in urban development in Iran? Provide the necessary answer; Accordingly, the research hypothesis is that the model of local government has not been formed in Iran and the development of cities does not have a favorable trend.Results and discussionThe role and functions of local government are subject to the discretion of the central government, which controls and expands the power of local government. The central government, usually under conditions of security, tranquility and high loyalty of local people to the central government on the one hand and increasing the volume of central government tasks, especially in simple and centralized governments and the development of bureaucracy and fear of dissatisfaction at the local level On the other hand, it seeks to transfer some of its tasks, responsibilities, and in other words, its power, especially in the executive dimension, to the local level. The distribution and transfer of such powers and responsibilities may be delegated to the male branch of local government (councils and local councils) or to the local government (governorates and government departments), or by a special policy between the two to distribute and regulate their relations. The main focus of underdevelopment problems in developing countries is cities. The increase in urban population and the continuous migration of villagers to densely populated cities have put severe pressure on urban infrastructure and prevented most of them from playing a favorable role in the development process in developing countries.Urban management in Iran has gone through many ups and downs and the way of governing cities in Iran has more than anything else, has a political and governmental aspect and the color and smell of civil life in it is faint and more than any phenomenon is a political process originating from the central government. Municipalities in Iran have a very limited and specific part of urban management. The administration of cities in Iran is very far from the city government. Even the presence of a number of people's representatives in city councils can not bring municipalities to the level of comprehensive urban management. The most important issues of city management from the perspective of municipalities is to meet some of the public needs of the city. Therefore, urban management in European countries, which acts as a governing body, is fundamentally different from urban management, which in Iran is the city monitoring and maintenance department (Latifi, 2008: 1-57). Of course, in Iran, due to the government's reliance on foreign oil revenues and the connection with the social structure and planning and management of affairs based on government-oriented and general policies based on providing material satisfaction of the people, municipalities in limited and specific areas of urban services such as transportation. Green space and urban health and cleanliness are responsible. Despite the importance of municipalities in providing municipal services, issues such as lack of sustainable revenue sources and inefficient administrative and technical system (and in the case of Iran, strong influence and dependence on the central government are added), these institutions largely fail to perform their duties properly. It has stopped in Iran and developing countries and caused them many problems.ConclusionConsidering the issues raised in this article, as well as the role that the local government model has been able to play in urban development and management in countries such as the United States, Canada, and France; It can be stated that the management that local government can have in different parts of a country, and with regard to functions such as: 1. Education; 2. Housing and land use; 3. Public transportation; 4. Local planning, development and development; 5. Health; 6. Recreational places and leisure; 7. Sports venues; 8. Welfare and social security and assistance to groups in need; 9. Municipal services; 10 Judgment and fight against crime; 11. Public security and law enforcement; 12. Public services, this model can play a positive role in urban development. Of course, these functions can also be implemented in the model of a simple government, but its implementation has not been seen in cities, apart from large cities and capitals, due to the experience of such countries, good efficiency and effectiveness. Although the implementation of the local government model has its advantages and disadvantages, but its advantages are more and play a significant role in urban development. As mentioned by models from European and Western countries, it was found that in such countries, the local government and the federal system were able to pay more attention to citizenship rights. There was also talk of urban development and management in Iran, it can be seen that cities in Iran do not have a beautiful urban space and appearance. Decisions are usually dictated to municipalities from the top down. In municipalities, the presence of experts in urban affairs and urban planning is very low. Even in the higher levels of urban management, it is seen with the lack of expertise and matching of university degrees in the field of urban planning and urban management with the intended job and position. According to the geographical features of Iran (cultural geography, economic geography, regional geography), the local government model in urban management and urban development can be effective.

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