PRIA
turned to its vast experience in Panchayati
Raj Institutions in rural areas for insights
when it ventured into urban governance
through pilot programmes across five states
in the country for a period of three years.
The initial pilot phase (June 2000 to
June 2003) clearly pointed out that future
interventions of PRIA should focus on
improving municipal governance of small
and medium towns through enabling and
strengthening citizen participation. The
next phase (April 2004 to March 2007)
of the programme focused on two broad
objectives in tune with PRIA's strategic
plan "Governance Where People Matter".
They were (1) making urban local self-governing
institutions transparent and accountable,
and (2) enabling citizen leaders to have
an effective voice in urban governance.
A range of interventions have since been
undertaken to pursue these objectives
in 54 municipalities across 12 states.
Some of
the interventions include
Facilitating
the formation of new citizen collectives
like Mohalla Samitis (neighbourhood
committees) and Mohalla Swachchata
Samitis (neighbourhood sanitation
committees). These groups along
with the existing and newly formed citizen
groups (e.g. women's groups, youth
clubs, etc.) collaborated with the
municipal administration and elected
representatives on issues like water
supply, sanitation, solid waste
management, birth registration, etc.
Strengthening
the capacity of municipal governance
to become responsive to the emerging
demands of citizens. Workshops,
seminars, meetings, and exposure
visits were organised besides general
information dissemination to enhance
the capacity of elected representatives
and officials of the municipalities.
Networks of
elected representatives, particularly,
women, Dalits and tribals, catalysed
and strengthened in many states
and districts.
Technical support
was provided to a number of municipalities
to undertake participatory town
planning and preparing of plans
on solid waste management.
Organising
Pre Election Voters Awareness Campaigns
(PEVAC) in the states where municipal
elections took place. A variety
of civil society actors were involved
in the campaigns with the objective
of educating citizens, to ensure
free and fair election and to foster
participation of the most marginalised
in the electoral processes.
