The long wait for empowered mayors (Unlike other global cities, Mayors of Indian cities are powerless entities)

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 The long wait for empowered mayors (Unlike other global cities, Mayors of Indian cities are powerless entities)

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• The Delhi model: Arvind Kejriwal's 2020 election bid is a remarkable one, as it is based on fighting elections on issues of actual government performance, and not populism. The AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) is reaching out on issues of education, health and urban development.
• Steps taken in 5 years: AAP did this in Delhi -

1. raise education budget by 106% over previous amount of Rs.2219 cr
2. Top class physical infrastructure was created, alongwith teacher training abroad
3. Average education outlay is 27.8% of budget, more than Indian states' 15.8%
4. For health, it is 13.8%, while others spend on average just 5.2%
5. Mohalla clinics provide services to all within 1 km of residence, and are a model for others now
6. Budget 2019-20 (Delhi) saw huge rise in transport allocation, perhaps for arrival of EVs

• What Kejriwal is doing: In face of stiff resistance from Central Ministries, he is not giving up but pushing back, which is totally unlike other big cities where Mayors have nearly zero power to do so.
• Empowered Mayors missing: Since big cities in India have disempowered mayors, they cannot take proper decisions regarding efficiency, productivity and liveability. That is not so in other global cities, where strong Mayors often go on to fight national elections too. Perhaps, that's why!
• India's urban conundrum: One-third of India is now urban, producing 3/5th of GDP. But cities lack the right attitude and infrastructure, as there is no single city government in charge. States collect huge taxes from cities, but don't devolve power back to them.
• Clipping their wings: Scared state-level politicians often remove direct elections, and put in place indirect systems. Example- AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, which brought such a law. But can smart cities run without strong Mayors?
• Third tier destroyed: Many states haven't even conducted urban local body (ULB) elections for many years, despite the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 mandating it. 18 local functions must be devolved to ULBs. Even major functions are run by parastatal authorities, not local leaders.
• A trick in place: So powerful Municipal Commissioners are put in place, to cut short the Mayor's stature. But globally, mayors are taking big action even on issues like climate change (Paris - Anne Hidalgo, who promoted green roofs in Paris). Kejriwal wasn't allowed by Union govt. to visit Mayors' meet in Copenhagen!
• Status as on date: Surveys show that only 33% of medium and large cities have provision for directly-elected Mayors. A tenure of five years is not guaranteed either.
• False claims: It is shocking that entirely wrong claims are being made by top politicians that Indian cities are now properly self-governing, with financial autonomy. Our politicians, many with remote rural bases, lack empathy for urban needs. We need to fix priorities, remove fragmentation in administration, and build ULBs' capacity.
• A new deal: Next 10 years will test India on -

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
2. Paris Agreement on Climate Change
3. UN Habitat New Urban Agenda

• We have to change our ULB governance, if we intend to win here!
• Summary : Weak and defanged urban local bodies of India are unable to provide city-level leadership, leading to poor quality of multiple services for citizens.

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