Problems of urban self-governance in India
By: Banerjee, Iman
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Material type: 
BookPublisher: Nagarlok: Quarterly Journal of Urban Affairs Description: 53(3), Sep, 2021: p.1-24.Subject(s): ULBs, Self-governace, Local bodies, 74th CAA, INNURM
In:
Nagarlok: Quarterly Journal of Urban AffairsSummary: Urban self-governance in India has its own set of challenges. There are some critical, both institutional and non-institutional road blocks that are obstructing the efficient and autonomous functioning of urban local bodies in the country. Against this backdrop, the present paper throws light on the overwhelming obstructions that are making the notion of democratic and participatory self-governance, a distant reality for the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India. This paper argues that the municipal bodies in India function as mere vassals of state governments. They neither pose obligatory strategic flexibility nor do they have political legitimacy. Partly this is because of the failure of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act and JNNURM, the most concrete and profound initiatives of the Government of India regarding the acknowledgement of India's urban contingency, to envisage dynamics of the complex urban conformations. Furthermore, the paper suggests some alternative avenues through which the current urban reality of India can be lined up with the constitutional directives and existing legislative frameworks. Finally, the paper paves the path for some future research endeavours that can hold forth to the existing knowledge apertures in the field of urban self-governance in India, so that ULBs can maximise their capabilities to work as democratic institutions for local people and their interests through bridging the gap between local communities and the upper strata of democratic government. – Reproduced
| Item type | Current location | Call number | Vol info | Status | Date due | Barcode |
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Articles
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Indian Institute of Public Administration | 53(3), Sep, 2021: p.1-24 | Available | AR126694 |
Urban self-governance in India has its own set of challenges. There are some critical, both institutional and non-institutional road blocks that are obstructing the efficient and autonomous functioning of urban local bodies in the country. Against this backdrop, the present paper throws light on the overwhelming obstructions that are making the notion of democratic and participatory self-governance, a distant reality for the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India. This paper argues that the municipal bodies in India function as mere vassals of state governments. They neither pose obligatory strategic flexibility nor do they have political legitimacy. Partly this is because of the failure of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act and JNNURM, the most concrete and profound initiatives of the Government of India regarding the acknowledgement of India's urban contingency, to envisage dynamics of the complex urban conformations. Furthermore, the paper suggests some alternative avenues through which the current urban reality of India can be lined up with the constitutional directives and existing legislative frameworks. Finally, the paper paves the path for some future research endeavours that can hold forth to the existing knowledge apertures in the field of urban self-governance in India, so that ULBs can maximise their capabilities to work as democratic institutions for local people and their interests through bridging the gap between local communities and the upper strata of democratic government. – Reproduced
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