Research

Urban Governance and Other Public Policy Issues

The share of urban population in India has risen from 28 to 32 percent during 2001 to 2011; the rapid pace of urbanisation in the country has brought up a number of challenges pertaining to inadequacy of housing, drinking water and sanitation facilities, and development of infrastructure, among other services. Addressing the risks and difficulties confronting the poor, women, children, persons with disabilities and the aged in the urban areas has been another major challenge before the policymakers. CBGA analyses the government interventions in urban areas with special focus on budgetary provisions and actual expenditures and the responsiveness of the policies towards the disadvantaged sections of the urban population.

The complexity in urban governance in our country is exaggerated by the multiplicity of government institutions that bear the responsibilities in various domains, viz. the State Government, Urban Local Governments and other autonomous bodies. Hence, CBGA’s analysis in this domain takes into account both the State Budgets as well as the budgets of the Urban Local Governments. Moreover, since the fiscal health and budgetary practices of Urban Local Governments continue to pose concerns for policymakers, our research is focusing increasingly on the budgetary policies and practices of Municipal Corporations across the country.