Experts identify key reforms necessary for stronger cities

New Delhi;   On 25 November, the eve of Constitution Day, several urban policy experts, elected representatives, and civil society members gathered for a roundtable on ‘Strengthening the Constitutional Framework for City Governance’ in New Delhi.

The roundtable, organised by Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, examined progress under the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act (74th Amendment), identifying implementation gaps and pathways to strengthen the constitutional framework for urban governance. Enacted in 1992, the Amendment mandated democratic decentralisation by inserting Part IX-A into the Constitution of India, endowing city governments with the powers necessary to function as ‘institutions of self-government’.

Since the introduction of the 74th Amendment, India has witnessed unprecedented economic growth: GDP has grown fifteen-fold from $270 billion to over $3.7 trillion; urban population has surged from 217 million to an estimated 520 million.

However, local governance reforms have lagged behind this development push

·        More than 60% of Urban Local Governments (ULGs) across 17 states experienced delays in elections.

·        On average, only 5 out of 18 functions listed in the Twelfth Schedule are effectively devolved to ULGs.

·        13 out of 18 states have overriding powers over city governments including the power to cancel and suspend a resolution or decision taken by ULGs, the power to approve budget estimates for ULGs, etc.

·        Only 9 out of 15 states had functional ward committees in at least 1 ward.

·        67% of states with metropolitan regions have not constituted Metropolitan Planning Committees.

India now faces the challenging task of enabling its cities to deliver quality of life on par with international standards. While the national goal of making India a developed nation by 2047 provides an apt backdrop to roll out these reforms, rapid urbanisation and climate change make strengthening city-systems an urgent imperative.

 Key Insights from the Roundtable

Participants concluded that realising the full potential of the 74th Amendment requires immediate reforms to city governance.

They deliberated on reforms including:

·        Timely municipal elections: Empowering State Election Commissions as independent constitutional authorities to ensure regular elections.

·        Mayoral tenure: Establishing uniform five-year terms for all mayors.

·        Functional devolution: Effectively devolving all 18 functions listed in the Twelfth Schedule to city governments, and adding functions such as climate change, disaster management, and SDG implementation.

·        Differentiated governance frameworks: Customising governance structures for different city types to match their scale and complexity.

·        Metropolitan planning coordination: Establishing functional Metropolitan Planning Committees to enable coordination across metropolitan regions.

• Parastatal accountability: Making parastatal agencies accountable to elected city governments.

·        Citizen participation: Institutionalising participation through ward committees and area sabhas, particularly in planning, budgeting, and project monitoring; engaging Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) in an institutional manner.

Dr Beena Philip, Former Mayor, Kozhikode and Vice President, All India Council of Mayors (AIMC), Delhi, said: ”It was a thought-provoking roundtable which encouraged participants to rethink and deliberate on how we can strengthen urban governance by reworking the constitutional framework. It has been 33 years since the 74th Amendment was implemented. Since then, urban population has significantly grown and therefore it’s high time to work towards building cities of the future.”

Anand Iyer, Chief Policy and Insights Officer, Janaagraha said: “At the root of several issues that plague our cities today (to mention only increasing air pollution and flooding) is fragmented control and a weakened city government. While state governments can take steps to empower cities, suitable support from the union — like strengthening the 74th Constitutional Amendment for contemporary times — can really help states. The best time for this, towards developed cities, can still be NOW!”

Annexure: List of participants