Hello Everyone,
Here is a recent roundup from Janaagraha on urban governance, policy reform, and city leadership. These initiatives reflect our continued efforts to strengthen city governments, advance urban reforms, and support more liveable, accountable, and resilient cities across India.
Urban Reforms Collective: Launching a New Chapter for India’s Cities
As India’s cities grow, so do the challenges they face. Stronger city governments and empowered local institutions are essential to addressing them effectively.
For over two decades, Janaagraha has worked to strengthen urban local governments and push for reforms that make cities more responsive, accountable, and liveable.
The launch of the Urban Reforms Collective (URC) is a step forward in this direction.
The URC brings together organisations from across the country working on urban development, governance, equity, environment, decentralisation, e-governance, and citizen engagement all united by one shared intent: to build momentum for long pending urban governance reforms in India.
The URC will focus on:
- Developing an actionable reform agenda for urban transformation
- Strengthening the ecosystem for long-term urban reforms
- Amplifying the importance of urban reforms in public and policy discourse
In the coming months, member organisations will collectively identify key reform priorities to take this agenda forward.
Through the URC, we aim to work alongside governments, political leadership, and civil society partners to advance reforms that make cities more responsive, accountable, and liveable for every citizen.
Founding Members of URC:
Janaagraha | Praja Foundation | Shelter Associates | eGov Foundation | WRI India | Artha Global | Civis | INHAF Habitat Forum India | Oorvani Foundation | Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA) | Safetipin | Foundation for Responsive Governance | SAATH Charitable Trust.
Link to the LinkedIn Post: Link
Feature: The Policy Edge - NITI Aayog’s Urban Reform Vision
Building better cities requires local governments that have both authority and accountability.
Anand Iyer, Chief of Policy & Insights, Janaagraha, in a commentary for The Policy Edge on “NITI Aayog’s Urban Reform Vision Needs Empowered City Governments” spoke about, directly elected mayors can strengthen Indian cities only when authority over planning, finance, and service delivery also shifts closer to elected urban governments.
The piece goes beyond questions of electoral design and raises a more fundamental issue of how urban governance functions in India, and what would be required for city governments to exercise real decision-making power. It points out the structural imbalance where key functions still sit with state-level agencies and parastatals, even as cities remain responsible for delivering outcomes.
Ultimately, the question is not just about who leads cities, but whether city governments are actually empowered to lead.
Read the full piece here: Link
NITI Aayog’s Report: Link