In a bid to supercharge India’s urban future, NITI Aayog dropped a game-changing report Saturday, zeroing in on governance fixes for cities boasting over a million residents. These urban hubs face systemic woes—scattered institutional setups, handcuffed authority transfers, shaky finances, and accountability voids—that cramp their style in delivering for citizens.
Launched by Minister Manohar Lal Khattar amid a gathering of urban ministers from more than 10 states, the report signals a national push for change. With cities fueling economic momentum, fresh ideas, and employment, they’re indispensable for hitting India’s 2047 developed status and $30 trillion GDP target through smart urbanization.
‘A Framework for Effective Urban Governance in Cities Over 10 Lakh Population’ lays bare ongoing issues like fragmented leadership and resource shortages that bottleneck services. It calls for a power shift: explicitly assigning rights, duties, and funds to cities, turning them into agile service providers attuned to local needs.
Standout proposals? Electrify leadership with fixed-term elected mayors and a ‘Mayor-in-Council’ model for steady, transparent calls. Unify services—water, waste, transit—under city governments for seamless ops and answerability. On money matters, amp up internal revenues, lock in predictable state funding, and tap bonds for capital.
Rethink institutions by folding service agencies into municipal folds with crisp mandates and tight-knit frameworks. States get homework: tweak municipal acts. The urban ministry? Revamp the model law and roll out carrots. As per Rajiv Gauba, this blueprint stems from deep dives with experts, data crunching, and world-class benchmarks—primed to reshape cityscapes.
