We must re-envision our cities: Start with governance reforms

We need stronger local governments, institutions built for the scale and diversity of cities and better urbanization planning

- SRIKANTH VISWANATHAN

India’s cities and towns are acutely feeling the strain of weak planning, as visible in infrastructure and governance systems that are one-size-fits-all and not context-specific.

In my previous article ‘Indian cities are in urgent need of a complete systems overhaul’ (Mint, 23 April 2025), I made a case for a systems approach to cities focused on three city-systems: planning and design, participatory governance and state capacities. In this piece, I detail three measures to strengthen local governments, unlock more effective planning and governance, and ensure India’s urbanization translates into better outcomes for all.

Reorient MoHUA and state urban departments for local governance and regional development: At present, the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) dedicates most of its resources and efforts to disbursing funds to states and urban local governments (ULGs or municipalities) through Finance Commission grants and missions such as AMRUT, Swachh Bharat and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. This has made it, in effect, a schemes-and-infrastructure ministry, rather than one focused on the planning, economy and governance of cities.

MoHUA also oversees organizations such as the Central Public Works Department, National Buildings Construction Corp (NBCC) and the Delhi Development Authority, all of which follow mandates that mostly relate to infrastructure and service delivery, not governance. However, MoHUA’s department of local self government, which was envisaged to strengthen urban local self-governments, remains all but defunct. By contrast, rural India has the ministry of panchayati raj (MoPR), whose principal mandate is to strengthen panchayati raj institutions and, through them, local governance systems and processes in villages. MoPR is distinct from the ministry of rural development, which focuses on schemes covering rural employment, housing and roads.