As Uttarakhand heads for municipal polls, there is need to understand how effective these bodies are in providing urban governance. Also, whether they have the requisite powers and resources to meet the people’s expectations. Mostly, the elections to the municipalities are seen by aspiring politicians as a stepping stone to higher office. Few are content to serve at this level.
Over the years, the powers and responsibilities of city governments have been distributed among various organisations given different tasks. So, there is the district administration, which has overarching powers. Then there is the municipality and a ‘development’ authority – for instance the MDDA in Dehradun. The latter has at its head a government official whose concept of development may be at cross purposes with the elected Mayor or Municipal Chairman. Then there are various agencies that make roads, provide water and sewer connections, supply electricity – often functioning without the necessary coordination with others. So, as seen recently in Doon, a newly renovated road can be dug up to repair a sewer line. Does not common sense require that these be checked out before the road is redone? The lack of coordination was also witnessed when a much-needed speed-breaker had to be removed because it was built without much thought. Quite obviously because the responsibility of those involved was limited.
It may be noted that in cities where necessary functions such as town-planning, allocation of funds, decisions on public works, establishing priorities, etc., are with the municipal body, the development is more balanced and in sync with the people’s requirements. Members of the municipal boards, too, need to have a composite vision instead of being fixated with obtaining amenities for their respective wards.
Perhaps the Uttarakhand government should set up a committee on the aspects of municipal governance – what is lacking and what needs to be fixed. This will, of course, mean that the heads of these municipal bodies would be given greater powers, making them alternative centres of power. But, if the vision is clear and the priority public good, it should not be too much of a problem.
