The City of Future

Context: The urban governance machinery needs to learn lessons of a robust governance structure from its rural contemporary, for containing the overall spread of COVID-19.

Lessons from Rural Governance for Robust Urban Governance Model

• Recognize and adapt: to socio-economic and demographic differences between rural and urban areas. 
• Rebuilt: based on 4 pillars: 

• Convergence and accountability

• Re-empower the urban governance institution (district magistrate): clear command and control structure at the field level.
• Ensure accountability of performance: eliminate the multiplicity of authorities and institutions and increase their public accountability.
• Easy grievance redressal: designating the district magistrate as the ex-officio municipal commissioner, with reporting of line department functionaries report to the DM.

• Urban populace specific schemes: National migrant database

• Centrally maintained: a credible database of the urban poor and migrants based on their skill mapping.
• Better targeting by policymakers: to help in ensuring employment (MGNREGA for the urban poor) to intended beneficiaries.
• Tailor-made schemes: skill development courses with flexible timings to avoid absence from regular work.

• Wider public participation

• In decision-making spaces: as practiced in the villages (chaupals, gram sabhas, and gram panchayat meetings).
• Meaningful public feedback: by Facebook Live chats, Zoom sessions, emails, WhatsApp, Twitter, and radio shows.
• Frequent public meetings with minimum disruption to the citizens’ daily schedules.

• Use of the latest technologies.

• Technology-based regulatory functions: in town planning, enforcing building by-laws, and renewal of trade licenses.
• Methodology: mobile-governance, geospatial platforms for zonal regulations and property tax, tele-education, and blockchain-based networks for record-keeping and verification.

Conclusion: Post COVID urban governance structure must begin rebuilding internal systems, ensuring convergence, and fixing accountability at the level of the urban district magistrate.