The city is divided into 144 administrative wards[5] that are grouped into 16 boroughs.[6] Each of these wards elects a councillor to the KMC. Each borough has a committee consisting of the councillors elected from the respective wards of the boroughs. The Corporation, through the borough committees, maintains government-aided schools, hospitals and municipal markets and partakes in urban planning and road maintenance.[7] The corporation as the apex body discharges its function through the Mayor-in-Council, consisting of a mayor, assisted by a deputy mayor, and ten other elected members of the KMC. The mayor is responsible for the overall functioning of the KMC and has a tenure of five years.[8] At present, the All India Trinamool Congress holds the power in the KMC.
As of 2024-25, the city government's budget is ₹5,166.79 crore (US$600 million), out of which ₹320 crore (US$37 million) was earmarked for roads and transport infrastructure, ₹692.14 crore (US$81 million) is to be spent on solid waste management, ₹408 crore (US$48 million) on water supply and ₹163 crore (US$19 million) on health services.[9]
Criticism
Recently the KMC has faced a lot of criticism for legalising unauthorized construction largely responsible for a number of deaths because of fire. This was also responsible of the unplanned growth in the city.[citation needed]
In 2011, it was announced that Kolkata Police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation area will be coterminous.[12][13]
Kolkata Postal District however extends right up to Barrackpur in the North, Barasat in the North-East, Rajarhat in the East, up to Baruipur in South-East and Pailan in South and up to Pujali in South-West. The Postal code in this entire area starts with 700, indicating Postal Sorting Division of Kolkata. Thus Kolkata Postal Division is much bigger than the area of KMC (Kolkata District) and Kolkata Police.
Services
The KMC is responsible for administering and providing basic infrastructure to the city.