URBAN GOVERNANCE IN INDIAURBAN GOVERNANCE IN INDIA

Challenges and Responses:Challenges and Responses:A Framework for ReformsA Framework for Reforms

Planning CommissionPlanning CommissionJanuary 25, 2007January 25, 2007

•The Urban Context

•Views of City Government - different perspectives

•The Reality of Urban Governance

•Frequently Suggested Solutions

•Framework for Urban Governance

•Specific Action Agendas

•External Factors/ Developments to consider

•Benefits of the Framework

•Taking it forward

Outline Outline

•Economic growth closely linked to urbanisation•North America/ Europe were 50% in 1940s, 80% now

•Cities the gateways to globalisation•80% of all FDI into China in 1990 went to top 20 cities

•Urbanisation a complex process•No controllable set of factors

•Policy makers reversing traditional bias•Historical denial of urbanisation beginning to change

The Urban ContextThe Urban Context

Views of City GovernmentViews of City Government

Urban Middle Class

Multi/ Bilateral Agencies

NGO TypeA

Urban Poor

City Bureaucr

atState

Bureaucrat

ParaStatal Agency

City Politician

State Politician

National Politician

Media

Business Communi

ty

Infrast’ure Players

NGO TypeB

Community Based

Orgns

Opinion Leaders

Special Interest Groups

Views of City GovernmentViews of City Government

Urban Middle Class

Multi/ Bilateral Agencies

NGO TypeA

Urban Poor

City Bureaucra

tState

Bureaucrat

ParaStatal Agency

City Politician

State Politician

National Politician

Media

Business Communit

y

Infrast’ure Investor

NGO TypeB

Community Based Orgns

Opinion Leaders

Special Interest Groups

•Minimal understanding of the system•Made to feel political irrelevant•High level of agitation, no avenues to engage•Poor often seen in adversarial terms•Low opinion of political representatives

•Constant vulnerability•Anchor of city services•Want legal housing•Forced often to seek political patronage

•Minimal authority•High expectations•HR challenges•Too much political interference•Too many agencies•2-year tenure

•No authority to make decisions•Complex system•Too much interference from higher political players•Move on to next level•Look out for myself

Views of City GovernmentViews of City Government

Urban Middle Class

Multi/ Bilateral Agencies

NGO TypeA

Urban Poor

City Bureaucra

tState

Bureaucrat

ParaStatal Agency

City Politician

State Politician

National Politician

Media

Business Communit

y

Infrast’ure Investor

NGO TypeB

Community Based Orgns

Opinion Leaders

Special Interest Groups

•Demands for infrastructure•“End justifies the means”•Less patience for long-term reform

•Too many changes required•Too many legacy institutions•No possibility of dramatic change•Torn about decentralisation

•Aggressive approach to procure rights for marginal communities•Adversarial attitude towards business and development

•Frustrated by urban management•Decentralisation only to my level•Opportunities for strengthening base

Views of City GovernmentViews of City Government

Urban Middle Class

Multi/ Bilateral Agencies

NGO TypeA

Urban Poor

City Bureaucra

tState

Bureaucrat

ParaStatal Agency

City Politician

State Politician

National Politician

Media

Business Communit

y

Infrast’ure Players

NGO TypeB

Community Based Orgns

Opinion Leaders

Special Interest Groups

•Mixed knowledge of urban challenges•Focus on visible changes e.g. “keep my street clean”•Incomplete solutions for change

•Focus on service options and pricing•Partial ability to influence reforms•Weak grassroot/ public support

•Mixed knowledge of urban issues•Difficulties in maintaining grassroot energies•Challenges to network, scale, sustain

•Issue-based advocacy (environment/ heritage/ disabled etc.)•Often removed from core reform discussions•Mixed approach to other stakeholders

Views of City GovernmentViews of City Government

Urban Middle Class

Multi/ Bilateral Agencies

NGO TypeA

Urban Poor

City Bureaucra

tState

Bureaucrat

ParaStatal Agency

City Politician

State Politician

National Politician

Media

Business Communit

y

Infrast’ure Players

NGO TypeB

Community Based Orgns

Opinion Leaders

Special Interest Groups

•Little opportunity to bring real change•Frustrated at people’s expectations•Personal interest in specific projects•Minimal impact on reforms

•Project-based approach•Increasing recogniition of need for reforms

•Reform-oriented at the expense of being marginalised•Collaborative attitude causes confusion•Frustrated at pace of change

•Fuzzy accountability to city government and citizens•Relief to have freedom -“Let me run” attitude•City governments do not have expertise to manage services

•Watching and reporting the tamasha!

•Enormous Day-to-Day Challenges•Solid waste management – thousands of tonnes/day•Water supply •Sanitation systems and treatment plants

•Multiplicity of agencies•Ad-hoc measures of past left behind legacy problems •Genuine technical skills issue with local government

•New ideas need new skills•PPPs/ Outsourcing/JV Agreements use complex contracts•Creation and monitoring of Service-Level Agreements difficult for local govt

•Rapid economic activity•Urban growth running faster than solutions can catch up•Very little reliable data being generated to track this

The reality of Urban GovernanceThe reality of Urban Governance

•Urban poverty issues• Multiple factors: land rights/ permanent and seasonal migration/ beneficiary identification•Multiple institutional jurisdictions (example: basic services with local government; public distribution system/housing with state departments)

•Weak administrative systems•Weak human resources with minimal training•Poorly designed Cadre and Recruitment Rules•Dysfunctional internal systems – finance, land records, personnel etc.

•Massive financial requirements•Rs 28,000 crores/annum for the next 10 years for urban infrastructure•Minimal support from centre/states

•Rural-urban issues •Urban growth primarily at fringes•Complex Governance and equity challenges

The reality of Urban GovernanceThe reality of Urban Governance

Many factors contribute to shaping vibrant cities*

Multiple factors impacting Urban ChangeMultiple factors impacting Urban Change

No. Factor

1 Effective decentralisation of government functions

2 Efficient Financial Management Systems

3 Defining and monitoring Service Levels

4 Adequate provision of well-located low-income housing

5 Relevant and rapid infrastructure provisioning

6 Efficient collaboration between different agencies

7 Institutionalised Citizens' participation

8 Uniform demarcation of administrative jurisdictions

9 City planning recognising economic/environmental factors

10 GIS for Spatial Information Management

11 Guaranteed Land Title System

12 Effective Zoning. Land-Conversion and Enforcement Policies

13 Efficient Land Market Assessment process

14 Periodic regional economic mapping

15 Regularly updated and centralised Land Records System

* “White Paper on Sustainable Cities”, Swati Ramanathan

Factors have inter-dependencies among them:

Multiple factors impacting Urban ChangeMultiple factors impacting Urban Change

*: shows the degree of inter-dependence between factors

No. Factor No. of Dependents*

No of Dependencie

s*

1 Effective decentralisation of government functions 7 4

2 Efficient Financial Management Systems 6 8

3 Defining and monitoring Service Levels 7 6

4 Adequate provision of well-located low-income housing 6 12

5 Relevant and rapid infrastructure provisioning 2 12

6 Efficient collaboration between different agencies 12 7

7 Institutionalised Citizens' participation 7 6

8 Uniform demarcation of administrative jurisdictions 8 2

9 City planning recognising economic/environmental factors 5 10

10 GIS for Spatial Information Management 9 1

11 Guaranteed Land Title System 6 3

12 Effective Zoning. Land-Conversion and Enforcement Policies 4 9

13 Efficient Land Market Assessment process 7 8

14 Periodic regional economic mapping 5 7

15 Regularly updated and centralised Land Records System 8 4

•Many inter-dependent factors•Difficult to un-bundle reforms

•Reforms cannot be separated from institutions•Recognition of the process of change

•High price to pay for incomplete/insufficient reforms

•Slower national economic growth•Poorer quality of life for citizens

•Multiple approaches to change•“This is how change happens”•“Can we be more efficient in how we manage this?”

•Purpose of a Comprehensive Framework•Pull all reform ideas together •Suggest Action-Steps to move forward

Need for a Comprehensive Framework for ReformsNeed for a Comprehensive Framework for Reforms

A Framework for Urban GovernanceA Framework for Urban Governance

ALL PUBLIC TRANSPORT AGENCIES

(BUS/RAIL/AIR/TAXI/ AUTO/RTO etc.)

LAW & ORDERURBAN

URBAN LOCAL

GOVERNMENTS

METROPOLITAN PLANNING COMMITTEE

REGIONAL SPATIAL

DATA CENTRE

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT

AUTHORITY

CONCERNED PARA-STATALS, SPECIAL-PURPOSE VEHICLES, STATE GOVT DEPARTMENTS

CONCERNED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

RURAL

TALUK /ZILLA

PANCHAYATS

GRAMA PANCHAYAT

S

GRAM/WARD

SABHAS

WARD COMMITTEES

AREA SABHAS

EDUCATION

WATER & SANITATION

REVENUE

URBAN POOR

SERVICES

PLANNING & ZONING

ECONOMICS &

STATISTICSENVIRONME

NT & FORESTRY

PWR DISTRIBN.

PUBLIC HLTH

INDTL. DEVMT.

WOMEN & CHILD

W’FARE

The entire Metropolitan Region as the footprint of governance

•Recognition of Regional Footprint beyond local govts

•Metropolitan Planning Committee, as per Article 243ZE of COI•MPC spans rural and urban areas•DPC substitutes for MPC in less urban regions

•Decentralisation to Local Governments •Supported by appropriate accountability mechanisms•Synchronisation of rural/ urban structures

•Establishment of co-ordination mechanisms•Between para-statals and local governments•A realistic alternative to complete absorption of agencies

•Ensure Accountability of Local Governments•Formalised Community Participation •Disclosure

Key Elements of the FrameworkKey Elements of the Framework

Specific Action AgendasSpecific Action Agendas

ALL PUBLIC TRANSPORT AGENCIES

(BUS/RAIL/AIR/TAXI/ AUTO/RTO etc.)

LAW & ORDERURBAN

URBAN LOCAL

GOVERNMENTS

METROPOLITAN PLANNING COMMITTEE

REGIONAL SPATIAL

DATA CENTRE

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT

AUTHORITY

CONCERNED PARA-STATALS, SPECIAL-PURPOSE VEHICLES, STATE GOVT DEPARTMENTS

CONCERNED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

RURAL

TALUK /ZILLA

PANCHAYATS

GRAMA PANCHAYAT

S

ALL RELEVANT REGULATORY AUTHORITIES

GRAM/WARD

SABHAS

WARD COMMITTEES

AREA SABHAS

EDUCATION

WATER & SANITATION

REVENUE

URBAN POOR

SERVICES

PLANNING & ZONING

ECONOMICS &

STATISTICS

ENVIRONMENT &

FORESTRY

PWR DISTRIBN.

PUBLIC HLTH

INDTL. DEVMT.

WOMEN & CHILD

W’FARE

2

1

3

54

3

6

X

X

2

7

9

9

8

10

9

•Permanent MPC, with coordination powers•Constitution with Elected Representatives and Experts•Master Planning Procedures and Technical Groups

•Completely revamped Municipality Law•Direct Election to Mayor•3-tier structure of Municipality/ Ward Committee/Area Sabha•Formal Citizen Participation in Municipal affairs•Mandatory quarterly disclosure of performance

•Co-ordination mechanisms on all Municipal Services as per Schedule XII (and Schedule XI)

•Alignment of Jurisdictions based on Ward Boundaries•Joint Budgeting/ Reporting cycles

Specific Action AgendasSpecific Action Agendas

1

2

3

•Establishment of Spatial Data Centre•Real-time GIS for planning and coordination across agencies

•Establishment of Integrated Transport Authority •Planning and coordination across all Public Transport Agencies

•Implementing Muncipal Reforms at City-level•Financial Reforms in Budgeting, Accounting, MIS•HR and Capacity Building

•Urban Land Reforms•Simplified Land Records Management•Guaranteed Land Title

Specific Action AgendasSpecific Action Agendas

4

5

6

7

•Integrated Services for the Urban Poor•Provision of Low-Income Housing•Other Urban Poor Programmes

•Defining and ensuring service outcomes•Establish qualitative and quantitative benchmarks •Management and Monitoring Processes•Equitable outcomes for the poor

•Development & Delivery of Comprehensive City Plans

•Regional Fooprint•Involvement of multiple stakeholders•Creation of appropriate infrastructure•Rigorous enforcement – e.g. zoning/land-use•Regular mapping/monitoring of economic activities in the city

Specific Action AgendasSpecific Action Agendas

9

10

8

•Announcement of JNNURM•Substantial Financial Incentive for Urban Reforms•Reforms include•Additional Financial Support for Urban Poor Programmes

•Funding support for E-Governance Initiative•Spatial Data Centre Establishment

•Major Disruptive Transport Initiatives in most cities

•Airports & Mass Transit Systems not as Integrated Transport

External Factors/ Developments to ConsiderExternal Factors/ Developments to Consider

2 3 6

4

5

8

9

•Provides a complete response to urban challenges

•Captures most solutions being aired

•Recognises regional and rural-urban issues

•Applies across a state, rather than a specific city

•Identifies the specific changes that are required

•Integrates all current national initiatives and trends

•Allows for prioritisation of reforms and timelines

Benefits of the FrameworkBenefits of the Framework

Thank YouThank You