The responsibilities of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in accordance with Schedule I of Kerala Municipal Act include 

Mandatory Functions: including protection of public spaces and ways, maintenance of public assets and amenities, urban planning, civil registration, licensing and regulatory action etc

1. Control building construction.
2. Protect public spaces from encroachment
3. Protect traditional drinking water sources
4. Protect ponds and other water bodies.
5. Protect waterways and canals under the jurisdiction of the municipality.
6. Collect and dispose of solid waste and arrange liquid waste disposal.
7. Drain off flood water
8. Protect the environment as a health saver.
9. Maintain public markets.
10. Control infectious disease vectors
11. Regulate the sale of animal slaughter, meat and other perishable food items.
12. Regulate food establishments.
13. Prevent food adulteration
14. Maintain roads and other public works.
15. Light the street lights and maintain them.
16. Take preventive measures
17. Effective implementation of national and state level strategies and programs for prevention and control
18. To establish and protect cemeteries and cemeteries
19. Licensing of industries, trades and services while protecting the public interest of environment, public safety and public health.
20. Register births and deaths.
21. Install toilets and laundry facilities.
22. Establish ferry
23. Provide facilities for parking vehicles.
24. Construct waiting sheds for passengers.
25. Provide urinals, latrines and bathing facilities in public places.
26. Arrange for the conduct of fairs and festivals
27. Licensing of pet dogs and destruction of stray dogs.(At present to be done as per ABC Rules.)
28. Provide infrastructure in slum areas.
29. Provide facilities for pedestrians including footpath and road crossing facilities.
30. Prepare detailed urban planning and action plan for phased implementation.

General Functions: including statistics updation,organizing collective activities, promoting communal harmony and legal awareness etc

1. Collect and update essential statistics.
2. Organize self-help workers and make them part of collective activities
3. Organize campaigns to inculcate frugality.
4. To create awareness against social evils like alcoholism, drug use, dowry and abuse of women and children.
5. Ensure maximum public participation at all stages of development
6. Organize relief operations during natural calamities.
7. Create environmental awareness and motivate local action programs for its improvement.
8. Expand the field of cooperation.
9. Improve communal harmony
10. Mobilize resources locally in cash or in kind, including giving free land for development purposes.
11. Spread legal awareness among vulnerable groups.
12. Campaign against financial crimes.
13. Form neighborhood groups and self-help groups focusing on the poor
14. Create awareness about civic duty

Sectoral Functions: in the productive, developmental and social sectors

1. Agriculture
2. Animal husbandry and dairy development
3. Minor Irrigation
4. Fishing
5. Social forestry
6. Small scale industries
7. Construction of housing
8. Water supply
9. Electricity and Energy
10. Education
11. Public works
12. Public health and sanitation
13. Social welfare
14. Poverty alleviation
15. Scheduled Castes – Development of Scheduled Tribes
16. Sports and cultural affairs
17. System of public distribution
18. Disaster relief
19. Cooperation