Global Urban Governance and Regional Capacity Building
Introduction:
Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) is a reform-led urban governance strengthening and improvement at ULB, parastatals, and state government levels. Urban Governance reforms, therefore, are the cornerstone and a necessary condition for investments in mission cities as well as across ULBs the states.
The module addresses the training needs of all functionaries – elected as well as appointed – at ULBs, parastatals, and other related urban governance institutions and state government departments who are directly or indirectly involved in urban management.
The primary aim of this module is to help the municipal functionaries to develop a larger perspective of urban governance so that, in turn, they become enabled to sustain the investments being made through JnNURM. It is also intended to develop a basic understanding of key issues and their prospective solutions.
This module provides an overall understanding of the key aspects pertaining to urbanization patterns, good urban governance, devolution of powers, development urban planning, poverty, community participation in city development, and innovative illustrations through case studies.
Urban Governance:
Urbanisation:
India is witnessing an increased pace of urbanization. Despite its population being predominantly rural, it is emerging as one of the fastest urbanizing countries. It is the second largest urban system in the world with an urban population of about 340 million and 35 metros. Cities are emerging as the engines of national economy and generators of wealth. Cities are the centers of technology, innovation, creativity and economic growth and employment, reservoirs of skills, knowledge and hope for migrants from rural areas.
Components of Urban Growth:
There are four components of urban population growth – natural increase or organic growth, rural to urban migration, reclassification, and boundary changes of the existing urban centers. From the census reports it can be assumed that the natural increase during 1991-2001 was about 59 per cent, rural-urban migration 21 per cent and the remaining urban growth is due to reclassification or boundary changes
Urban Projections:
Projections indicate that by 2030 that India’s urban population will be 575 million constituting over 40% of total population; as can be seen from the Fig.1. India’s Urban Awakening (2010) a McKinsey report projected that by 2030 five states viz., Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab and Tamil Nadu will have more than 50% urban population and 13 cities will have more than 4 million population each. Six cities viz., Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and Pune will have more than ten million population each.
Urban Governance – Concept and Principles:
The concepts of governance and good governance have become part of development literature during the last few decades. No analysis of the government – national, state or local – is complete today without a focus and full-length discussion on governance. Concept of governance is very complex. It comprises of the mechanisms, processes and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights, meet their obligations and mediate their differences.
Urban Governance – Reform Framework:
Because of the critical importance of cities in national development, efforts are being made during the last two decades to improve urban governance in India. The passage of 74th Constitution Amendment Act in 1992 was the first step. This was followed by several urban reforms in the states. Launching of JnNURM – a program for promoting reforms and nvestments in select 65 cities by the Government of India (GOI) in 2005, has brought a paradigm shift in urban development strategy. Similarly, the GoI launched two other programs – Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) and Integrated Housing and Slum Development Program (IHSDP) for nonmission cities.
JnNURM:
JnNURM was launched as a response to emerging urban challenges in the country in on 3rd December, 2005 with a total investment of over one lakh crore rupees. It aims at a fast track, reform driven, rights oriented, demand led, partnership based planned development of cities. JnNURM:
• is a significant urban development policy initiative;
• encourages reforms as catalysts for development
• focuses on efficiency in urban infrastructure provision, service delivery mechanisms, community participation and accountability of ULBs and parastatals to civic community.
• has three components viz., governance reforms, infrastructure improvement and services to the poor
Conclusion:
The implementation of a small project in a community or to develop the city development plan, the different phases mentioned earlier is part and parcel of community participation. The steps mentioned may not be occurring in the same order, and may occur simultaneously. Being a dynamic process, apart from the knowledge gained, the field experience, procedural knowledge of the administrative system and willingness to bring in a difference to the system, attitudinal change to share the venue with the community will lead to the success of the community participation.