Context: 

A recent report on urban governance in India highlights the growing participation of women in local government. 

 Key Highlights of the report

• The report, titled ‘Roadmap for India’s City Systems Reforms’ by Janaagraha, reveals that 17 states have implemented 50% women’s reservation in urban local bodies, surpassing the constitutional requirement of 33%. 
• Currently, about 46% of councilors across India are women. 
• In 19 out of 21 capital cities with active urban local bodies (ULBs), including Patna, Shimla, Ranchi, and Bhubaneswar, the percentage of women councilors exceeds 60%. 
• Tamil Nadu leads with the highest number of women councilors, followed by Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh.

The roadmap emphasizes three key strategies for transforming India’s cities:

1. Place-based governance of India’s cities: Focusing on the unique needs of each region.

2. Decentralized participatory governance: Encouraging citizen involvement in decision-making.

3. Strengthening State capacities: Enhancing the abilities of State governments to manage urbanization. 

The report also proposes a Rural-Urban Transition Policy to manage the rapid growth of villages into cities, with over 1,000 villages already transitioning since the 2011 Census.

Challenges in Local Governance:

• Despite these reforms, the report highlights challenges such as delayed council elections (across 61% of ULGs in 15 States), disempowered ULGs, and the limited autonomy of Mayors, who only have control over four out of 18 functions. 
• Additionally, citizen participation is lacking due to the absence of formal platforms for engagement.

Key recommendations:

• Restructure the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and State Urban departments to focus on regional economies and strengthening local self-government institutions rather than sectors and funding.
• It also calls for strengthening Urban Local Governments (ULGs) through the 74th Constitutional Amendment addressing issues like delayed elections and limited mayoral powers, and increasing citizen participation.
• The roadmap also suggests initiatives like certification-based skill development programs for ULG staff, municipal shared service centers, and a digital public finance management system.