Revitalised Urban Administration In India

The collection of scholarly articles by eminent scholars capsulate the welfare and development schemes and their many-handed implementation in the lives of people of cities and towns to construct the urban infrastructure as well as boost up the rich dividends of economy, as felt of the independence. A positive story of the experiments useful for academic community.

The collection of scholarly articles by eminent scholars capsulate the welfare and development schemes and their many-handed implementation in the lives of people of cities and towns to construct the urban infrastructure as well as boost up the rich dividends of economy, as felt of the independence. A positive story of the experiments useful for academic community.

The importance of efficient urban governance needs no elaboration in an increasingly urbanising world. Cities with high population densities throw significant challenges of transportation, safety, urban revitalisation, social inclusion and cohesion, environmental protection, water, air, energy, sanitation and climate changes which will magnify in the near future if not properly addressed now. These socio-economic changes necessitate augmentation of urban finances for investment in well-planned urban development and to bring about reforms in governance to enforce efficient urban governance at all levels to cater to the needs of urbanites and to make cities inclusive, congestion-free, safe, resilient and sustainable in which all people have access to basic services, housing and mobility. The urban local governance structures, mechanism and arrangements should aim at facilitating the adoption and implementation of successful policies to meet the challenges of sustainable, safe and equitable urbanisation. This book discusses measures to stimulate revitalisation and foster better economic and social development through developing cooperation mechanism between local and national governments so that the challenges of urbanisation can be best utilised as opportunities of innovation, economic growth and employment.

Urbanisation In India Has Been So Fast That During The Last Four Decades The Urban Population Has Quadrupled. The Burgeoning Urban Population Brings With It Several New Challenges Which The Urban Local Governments (Ulgs) Have To Face. There Is, Therefore, The Need To Revamp The Structure Of Ulgs And Redefine Their Functions, Duties And Powers In The Changed Urban Scenario. The Inclusion Of Several Activities Relating To Poverty Eradication And Welfare In The Functions Of Ulg Calls For A Fresh Urgency To Study Urban Administration In A New Light. The Need For The Ulgs To Re Energise Themselves To Face The Ever-Increasing Complex Urban Challenges Efficiently, Coming Out Of The Rigid, Outdated, Inflexible Working Culture And Deteriorating Administrative Standards Is Clearly Underlined In The Present Work. It Has Been Emphasized That There Is Inescapable Need To Improve The Quality Of Life In Smaller Towns To Avoid The Rural Push And To Prevent The Urban Pull Since Certain Larger Urban Areas Cannot Afford To Grow Any More Due To Infrastructure Deficiency, Growing Congestion Due To Rapid Population Growth Coupled With Increasing Traffic And Other Problems.In The Changed Socio-Political Situation In Towns And Cities Of India, There Is An Urgent Need For Reform Of Ulgs To Restructure The Official Machinery As Well As Political Organ In The Ulgs So As To Function As Active Partners In The Development Of Urban Areas.The Book Enables The Stakeholders Of Urban Development To Understand The Need And Plan To Revitalize The Ulgs To Meet The New Challenges Imposed By The Rapid Urbanization And Social And Economic Changes In Urban Areas. Some Valuable Reforms To Fulfil The Constitutional Obligations Ordained On Ulgs By The Constitution (74Th Amendment) Act, 1992 Have Been Suggested In The Book. It Also Deals With The Need For Capacity-Building, Decentralised Planning, Simplification Of Procedures, Privatisation Of Certain Municipal Services To Improve The Quality And Reduce The Cost Of Service.The Present Book Would Prove Very Useful To Planners, Policymakers, And Government Executives Concerned With The Urban Development And Social Welfare. In Addition, Students And Teachers Of Public Administration, Political Science And Economics Will Find It An Ideal Reference Book On The Topic Concerned.

Articles and papers, most previously published in periodicals.

Metropolitan Governance is an indispensable book for understanding the governance of metropolitan cities. The book covers an insight into the governance in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. The participatory metropolitan governance is also of interest to the students of sociology, social work and geography. The students of public administration would find it useful to study the decentralisation of powers from centre to state to local level government. For academicians engaged in service delivery in metropolitan areas, it brings in clarity regarding role of varied stakeholders in governance.

Arvind Kumar Sharma, b. 1941, scholar of public administration.