In a bid to supercharge India’s urban future, NITI Aayog dropped a game-changing report on Saturday, laying out a blueprint to fix governance woes in cities boasting populations exceeding 10 lakh. Launched by Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar amid a gathering of state urban ministers, the report spotlights how institutional fragmentation, power bottlenecks, fiscal weaknesses, and accountability deficits are holding back these economic engines.
Cities are the heartbeat of India’s growth story, sparking innovation, jobs, and prosperity en route to a $30 trillion economy by 2047. Yet, persistent hurdles like disjointed leadership and limited capacities cramp their style in serving citizens.
The framework demands a leadership overhaul: directly elected mayors with set tenures leading empowered councils for steady, transparent governance. It pushes to consolidate services—think water, waste management, and transit—under one roof for seamless operations.
On the money front, recommendations include ramping up internal revenues, streamlining state fund flows through empowered commissions, and tapping bonds for capital. The report envisions reorganizing parastatals under city control, clarifying mandates to cut overlaps and boost efficiency.
To make it happen, states must tweak municipal acts, and the central ministry should refresh model laws with carrots for adopters. Drawing from global benchmarks and deep dives with experts, this report charts a clear path for cities to thrive as development dynamos, meeting residents’ needs head-on.
