Governance and Social Justice (Local Government: Devolution of power and finances) by Abhishiekh Saxena

Model Answer

Question #1. The cities of the future will thrive on "e-ways". The digital aspect of urban development is indispensable to modern urban development. In this light, examine how the national urban digital mission will contribute to creating cities of the future.

Approach

•   The question focuses on the digital aspect of urban development.
•   The tone of the question is a positive one that requires discussing the role of digital technologies in modern urban development.
•   The approach must revolve around how the national urban development mission will contribute to creating smart cities.
•   Enumerate the objectives of the National Urban Development Mission (NUDM)
•   The conclusion must be based on how the NUDM should be taken forward in creating cities of the future through e-ways.

Introduction

Urban planning has been around for millennia. City builders have always striven to optimize their design to facilitate transportation, logistics, and ease of access to the most remote corners of their cities. What we are observing today is a rapidly proliferating trend of digital urban planning using high-precision simulations of existing or future cities based on real-time sensor data.

By definition, digital urban planning is an innovative process of simulating the physical environment based on precise and up-to-date sensor-fed data in order to facilitate the decision-making process for all stakeholders.

The key technologies that make digital city planning possible are- 3D visualization, including AR and VR Cloud-based services that aggregate, process, and store relevant data, advanced GIS services, Big data management, and analysis tools.

Digital aspect of urban development is indispensable to modern urban development

• India Urban Data Exchange (IUDX): It can be used to address the problem of data silos, both within and across cities. It serves as a seamless interface for data providers and data users, including Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)
• Smart Code Platform: It addresses the challenges that ULBs face by enabling cities to take advantage of existing codes and customizing them to suit local needs, rather than having to develop new solutions from scratch.
• National Urban Learning Platform (NULP): It is also being developed, which will aid the capacity building of urban government functionaries and other ecosystem stakeholders for sustainable urban development and efficient service delivery. Ex- training on integrated wastewater and septage management, climate-smart cities, data governance, and e-mobility.

The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) along with MeitY recently launched National Urban Digital Mission (NUDM). NUDM aims to build a shared digital infrastructure that will strengthen the capacity of the urban ecosystem to solve complex problems at scale and speed. It is built as a public good and provides the ecosystem actors the foundational digital building blocks, ready-to-use platforms, standards, specifications, and frameworks.

• To enhance the ease of living in our cities and towns by leveraging IT & associated technologies and support the existing urban ecosystem systems in a ‘citizen-centric’ approach, the NUDM envisages the following specific objectives:
• To create shared digital infra as a public good in the shape of state-of-the-art digital urban platforms, building blocks, data infra to manage the core digital urban data, and the infrastructure required for its seamless exchange
• To catalyze an urban national open digital ecosystem (u-NODE) that leverages NUDM to build new platforms, solutions and innovations
• To create open standards and enforce the adoption of open standards by all national digital urban stakeholders
• To provide for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of governance at all levels

 How the national urban digital mission can contribute to creating cities of the future?

• Improved ease of living for citizens through hassle-free access to government services. For e.g. e-governance will play an important role in present and future
• Ease of working for field-level functionaries through digital tools. Ex-Virtual Singapore is a highly detailed 3D model of the entire city intended for residents and organizations to take an interactive 360-degree tour around the city and run experiments based on the incredible amount of detail available in the model
• Better decision support systems to manage cities better. California, for instance, uses real-time data which is collected by a network of low-cost sensors, enabling drivers to locate free parking spaces on the go via a mobile app
• Easier access to information and a streamlined way of connecting with urban departments to serve citizens better.
• Through all these features NUDM helps Indian cities achieve Sustainable Development Goals together

Conclusion

It is for the first time that a national-level digital initiative has been launched that will facilitate the processes of stakeholder participation in the urban reform exercise and allow easier access to urban data/information. With access to the content provided on digital platforms/websites, one can expect considerable improvements in urban planning, development, and governance in the coming years. The challenge for the government of India and other stakeholders involved in this initiative will be to ensure that the required set of data are made available on the digital platforms for all urban centers in the country.

Question #2. While the 73rd amendment has opened the way for women to exercise their right to be involved in village governance, there are still some issues that put constraints on women's effective participation. Discuss.

Approach:

• The question requires analysis of the role of women in village governance
• Contextually introduce with 73rd Constitutional amendment and
• Discuss how local government institutions have promoted women empowerment
• Then explain the challenges that still remain
• Conclude with the way forward

Hints:

The reservation for women in Panachay Raj Institutions (PRIs) provided by 73rd CAA and subsequent increase in the quota by States have brought an unprecedented huge number of women in governance arena in India. Women’s political empowerment of such magnitude is among the best in the world. Three decades have passed since the above mentioned Act came into force and in most of the States fourth or fifth generation of Panchayats are in place. Women leadership in Panchayats which started with a shaky beginning has definite signals of getting well established and recognised.

Local government institutions have promoted women empowerment

• The 73rd Constitutional Amendment has opened up vistas of opportunities for women to prove their significance in the development process.
• India has the most women in elected positions in local government institutions. Seats and Sarpanch/Pradhan positions were also reserved for SC/ST candidates.
• The presence of women in PRIs is an enabling factor for their ilk, an inspiration that drives them to exploit opportunities beyond the provisions of reservation alone.
• The implementation of the 33 per cent reservation has empowered women with a voice and vote in the Panchayats, the opportunity to establish a relationship with the public, the power of political articulation, a stake in the decision making process and in the process of democratic decentralized growth and development.
• Research using PRIs has shown that having female political representation in local governments makes women more likely to come forward and report crimes.
• Women are making substantial contributions in giving suggestions for raising educational standards, addressing water sanitation and fuel problems - areas which were generally not discussed by men. For example, a woman Panchayat member from Yavatal district of Maharastra organised a camp for women to discuss issues like dowry and also convinced women to implement improved stove and biogas systems.
• Woman Sarpanch of Chandsamand GP in Karnal district of Haryana has developed a three pond system under MGNREGA with the purpose to treat the grey water and further use the same for gardening, kitchen gardening and irrigation purposes.
• Among other contributions of women in Panchayats are skill development of women and girls, bridging the digital divide through mobile computer training institute, motivating and orienting school girls on their rights, campaign against Purdha/Ghunghat (veil) system etc.

Despite their major contribution in village, elected women representatives ((EWR) continue to face many challenges:

• Patriarchy: Except a few tribal societies, particularly in north-east, Indian society in general continues to suffer from patriarchy. Many EWRs continue to work as a rubber stamp for their family members and also at times as proxies of rural elites. Their male co-workers show insensitivity and refuse to cooperate. Burden of household responsibilities, purdah (veil) system and domestic violence negatively affect their functioning.
• Caste System: Hierarchical caste system in rural India makes it difficult for women from SC and ST communities to function independently and effectively. Community or Khap pachayats functions parallel to panchayats and pressurizes EWRs to act in a particular way.
• Lack of Cooperation from Line/Sectoral Departments: EWRs, particularly the first timers find it very difficult to deal with officials of block/district administration and of line/ sectoral departments. Bureaucratic apathy and corruption is rampant which makes these EWRs demotivated and disenchanted from the panchayati raj.
• Inadequate Capacities: Majority of EWRs enter into public life for the first time and do not have enough knowledge and skills to handle affairs of panchayats. Training programmes conducted by government training agencies are unable to cover all elected representatives in time.
• Rotation of Terms: Policy of reservation for only one term and rotation of reserved seats and posts of chairperson also hinders consolidation of leadership qualities among EWRs as it takes time for them to learn the skills of handling and negotiating various conflicting interests within the panchayat. By the time they learn these skill and start functioning effectively, their term is over.
• Encroachment and Non-Payment of Taxes/ Fees: Elected representative in general and specially EWRs face resistance from community if they want to remove encroachment from panchayat land/properties.
• Inadequate Women Panchayat Functionaries: Patriarchal mindsets make it difficult for EWRs to freely interact with male functionaries at times when it is required.

Conclusion:

EWRs have still not been able to realise their full potential as they face many challenges including patriarchy, inadequate capacities and self-confidence, rotation of terms etc. Government of India and State governments are making sincere efforts to strengthen EWRs through various initiatives of capacity building, promoting network of EWRs, SHGs-PRI convergence etc. Much more is desired to be done to further strengthen the hands of EWRs in future. Among these are nationwide 50% reservations, rotation of terms only after minimum two terms, timely induction and refresher trainings, exposure visits, mentoring and handholding of EWRs in PRIs.