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Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
India's cities deserve more than token decentralisation
The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act (CAA) that came into force on June 1, 1993, promised to institutionalise democratic decentralisation in India's cities. When the Bill was presented in Parliament in 1991, the statement of objects acknowledged that many Urban Local Governments (ULGs) had become weak and ineffective due to irregular elections, prolonged supersession, and inadequate devolution of powers. India's municipal governance journey dates back to 1687 with the formation of the first municipal corporation in Madras (now Chennai). The 74th CAA promised empowered, accountable, and participatory city governments by granting them constitutional status and establishing a national governance. Over three decades later, that promise remains fulfilled more in letter than in spirit. In hindsight, the 74th Amendment addressed a historic backlog more than it offered a forward-looking blueprint. It fell short of anticipating the institutional demands of large cities in a liberalising economy. A landmark audit on the implementation of the 74th CAA across 18 states by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India found that, on average only four of the 18 (<25%) functions mandated under the Constitution have been fully devolved to ULGs. Over 60% ULGs lacked elected councils. State Finance Commissions were delayed by 412 days on average. ULGs face a 65% shortfall in per capita spending, and a 42% resource-expenditure gap. Citizen engagement in planning and budgeting is minimal, with ward committees largely defunct. Meanwhile, Union and state governments continue to dominate urban development through schemes and parastatals, bypassing elected councils; 72% of urban infrastructure is financed by Union and state governments. ULGs lack control over core functions like planning, water supply, sanitation, housing, and transport. In many cities, even Group D staff appointments require higher-level approval. ULGs have been reduced to extensions of state governments. The consequences are visible: Water shortages, crumbling streets, flooded neighbourhoods, choked roads, overcrowded transport, and a deteriorating environment. India can no longer afford a business-as-usual approach to urban governance. To change the status quo, we must move beyond token acknowledgements of the 74th Amendment's limited achievements. A reform strategy must be structured around three components: Measure, Map, and Mandate. Measure: The Union ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) lacks a comprehensive assessment of urban decentralisation. Until the CAG audits began in 2020, there was no authoritative data of the 74th Amendment implementation. In contrast, the ministry of Panchayati Raj has conducted seven assessments since the 73rd CAA and tracks panchayat performance via a Panchayat Development Index. MoHUA and state Urban Development Departments (UDDs) must build capacity to measure and monitor decentralisation in real-time, linking data to reform-oriented grants and programmes. Map: Roles and responsibilities across all levels of government and civic agencies must be clearly mapped and harmonised. States must relinquish excessive control and empower ULGs with policy, finance, knowledge and human resources. Elected councils and mayors must have democratic oversight over all agencies operating in their cities. Mandate: The Centre must initiate a second wave of constitutional reforms to strengthen the 74th CAA — closing existing loopholes and future-proofing decentralisation. This includes differentiated governance models for metros, and emerging and small cities; guaranteed devolution of functions; time-bound elections; empowered ward committees and area sabhas; and fiscal decentralisation through stable revenue streams and formula-based transfers. The amendment must specify mayoral tenures, delimitation and reservation timelines, revenue entitlements, and citizen forums definitively. The 74th Amendment was a constitutional promise. It's time we honour it. Santosh Nargund is head of participatory governance at Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy. The views expressed are personal
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Revanth's wants PM to fast-track approvals for Metro, projects & investments
Hyderabad: In a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Saturday, chief minister A Revanth Reddy urged him to approve a dedicated channel for Telangana to attract global investments and boost exports. He also requested the issuance of a notification for the Hyderabad-Bengaluru defence corridor, support for defence and aerospace projects, approval to include Telangana in India's Semiconductor Mission, and the Union Cabinet's approval and funding for Hyderabad Metro Rail expansion, the regional ring road, and the dry port greenfield corridor with dedicated railway lines. Revanth presented a list of key projects being undertaken in Telangana during his meeting with PM Narendra Modi, following the NITI Aayog meeting in the national capital. The CM requested the PM to expedite and give cabinet approval for the Hyderabad Metro rail phase-II project with five new corridors (76.4 km), estimated to cost 24,269 crore. Telangana govt submitted Phase-II proposals to the Union housing and urban affairs ministry (MoHUA) on Nov 4, 2024. Telangana govt has also replied to clarifications sought by the ministry. "Instruct MoHUA to expedite and give cabinet approval for the Hyderabad Metro phase-II project," the CM urged the PM. Revanth also requested Modi to give financial and cabinet approval to both the southern and northern corridors of the Regional Ring Road (RRR) project. He also urged for the Centre's green signal to lay a railway line around RRR and another dedicated rail line along the greenfield expressway from the dry port near Hyderabad to Rajahmundry seaport in AP. Stating that Telangana was fully aligned with India's Semiconductor Mission (ISM) and aims to be a premier hub for advanced semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, the CM sought the intervention of the PM to secure ISM project for Telangana. "This will strengthen investor confidence and align with India's goal of $500 billion electronics production by 2030," he added. While requesting support for the defence and aerospace projects, both PSUs and private sector JVs, Revanth sought fast-track approvals for defence JVs. The CM asked the PM for a dedicated approval channel to attract global investments and boost exports and urged him to ensure that a notification was issued for the Hyderabad-Bengaluru defence corridor for parity in support. Industries were encouraged towards UP, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh, as against mature and rich ecosystems such as Hyderabad and Bengaluru, Revanth added.
Economic Times
22-05-2025
- General
- Economic Times
Our smart cities are dumbing down
It's easy to launch a flashy new project. Way harder to keep it going. Despite grand makeovers and dutifully media-covered inaugurations, most cities have, to put it euphemistically, 'maintenance issues'. And as each monsoon reminds us, even so-called 'smart cities'. This week, Bengaluru and Pune, both ostensibly 'smart', were waterlogged after just a round of pre-monsoon showers, proof that smartness lies not in tech but in the dull discipline of upkeep. In 2014, GoI announced 100 smart cities envisioned to use technology as the backbone to pre-empt and solve everyday challenges - from traffic snarls to urban flooding. But somewhere along the way, the goal shifted. Smart Cities Mission (SCM) became confined to renovating and retrofitting existing cities and providing basic facilities, such as housing, clean water, power and transport. Over the past decade, roughly 8,000 projects worth ₹1.64 lakh cr were sanctioned under SCM. The mission ended on March 31, but without clear answers about the future of SPVs, including integrated command and control centres (ICCCs), the nerve centre of these smart cities. These were set up in all 100 smart cities to enable real-time, data-driven decision-making. To ensure continued maintenance of smart city assets, the parliamentary standing committee on housing and urban affairs rightly recommended that the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) frame guidelines for SPVs to keep operating beyond the mission's end. But there has been no movement on this. Public money doesn't just need to be spent, it needs to work. Without a culture of upkeep and performance tracking, we'll keep rebuilding the same cities and assets every decade. This is as unsmart as it can get.
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Business Standard
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
PMAY-Urban completion deadline extended till Dec 31: Here's how to apply
In a relief to urban homebuyers and state governments, the Centre has extended the deadline for completing houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana -Urban (PMAY-U) to December 31. This is expected to give more time for pending housing projects, especially in states lagging behind schedule. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) confirmed the decision through a recent communication to states and union territories. According to the PMAY-U official portal ( the mission aims to ensure 'Housing for All' in urban areas by providing pucca houses to all eligible families. What is PMAY-U? Launched in June 2015, PMAY-U is a flagship scheme of the Government of India focused on providing affordable housing to the urban poor through financial assistance. As per MoHUA, the mission follows a demand-driven approach and covers four verticals: · In-situ slum redevelopment (ISSR) · Affordable housing in partnership (AHP) · Beneficiary-led individual house construction/enhancement (BLC) Who is eligible? To avail benefits under PMAY-U, applicants must meet the following criteria (as per official guidelines): · Must not own a pucca house anywhere in India in their name or in the name of any family member. · Annual income must fall under one of the following categories: o Economically Weaker Section (EWS): up to Rs 3 lakh o Low-Income Group (LIG): Rs 3 lakh to Rs 6 lakh o Middle-Income Group-I (MIG-I): Rs 6 lakh to Rs 12 lakh o Middle-Income Group-II (MIG-II): Rs 12 lakh to Rs 18 lakh · Should not have availed any central government housing assistance before. · Women ownership or co-ownership is mandatory for EWS/LIG under BLC and AHP verticals. How to claim benefits? Eligible applicants can apply under the CLSS vertical, which offers interest subsidies on home loans. Here's how: · Visit · Choose Citizen Assessment and select the appropriate category. · Fill in the Aadhaar number and other required details. · Track application status through the same portal. · For CLSS, applicants can also approach banks or housing finance companies directly.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Govt extends PMAY-U completion deadline to Dec 31, 2025; know who is eligible and how to claim benefits
The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban ( PMAY-U ), launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on June 25, 2015, is a cornerstone of India's 'Housing for All' mission. Aimed at providing affordable housing to urban families, the deadline for completing houses sanctioned by March 31, 2022 has been extended. PMAY-U deadline extended The PMAY-U deadline has been extended to December 30, 2025, allowing more time to complete the sanctioned houses, ensuring beneficiaries can claim their housing benefits. Home loan rate 8% or below: 10 banks offering lower interest rate to borrowers; check latest EMI on 30 lakh home loan Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Specialist Down Jackets for Ultralight Adventures Trek Kit India Learn More Undo What is PMAY-U 2.0? Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban 2.0 (PMAY-U 2.0) aims to provide central assistance to eligible families/beneficiaries to construct, purchase or rent affordable houses in urban areas. The scheme targets families in the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Low-Income Group (LIG), and Middle-Income Group (MIG) who do not own a pucca house (all-weather dwelling) anywhere in India. PMAY-U supports urban families in achieving homeownership through four verticals: Live Events Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC): Supports individuals building their own homes. Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP): Collaborates with public/private sectors for housing projects. Affordable Rental Housing (ARH): Provides rental housing options. Interest Subsidy Scheme (ISS): Offers subsidies on home loan interest. According to the PMAY website, 'In pursuance of Government's vision of facilitating Housing for All, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India is implementing Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Urban (PMAY-U) – 'Housing for All' Mission since 25.06.2015. The original mission period was up to 31.03.2022 which has been extended till 31.12.2025 for completion of houses sanctioned up to 31.03.2022, without changing funding pattern and implementation methodology of the scheme.' What is the eligibility criteria to seek benefit under the scheme? Families belonging to EWS/LIG/MIG segments, living in urban areas, having no pucca house either in his / her name or in the name of any member of his / her family anywhere in the country are eligible to purchase/construct or rent a house under PMAY-U 2.0. How to check eligibility for PMAY 2.0? Step 1: Visit Step 2: Click 'Apply for PMAY-U 2.0' on the homepage. Step: Review guidelines and click 'Click to Proceed.' Step 4:Ensure all required documents are ready (listed below). Step 5:Fill out the eligibility form and click 'Eligibility Check.' Step 6: Enter Aadhaar Details: Provide and verify your Aadhaar number using OTP. Enter accurate personal and financial details. Upload required documents and enter the captcha code. Submit Application: Click 'Save' to submit and print the form for records. By meeting eligibility criteria, preparing required documents, and applying through the official portal or CSCs, you can claim financial assistance, subsidies, or rental housing benefits. PMAY: Offline application option Visit a Common Service Centre (CSC) or a PMAY-listed bank, pay a nominal fee , and submit the application form with required documents. Documents required for PMAY-U Ensure you have the following documents ready: Aadhaar Details: Applicant's Aadhaar number, name, and date of birth. Family Aadhaar Details: Aadhaar information for family members. Bank Account Details: Active account number, bank name, branch, and IFSC code (Aadhaar-linked). Income Proof: PDF file, up to 100 KB. Land Document (for BLC): PDF file, up to 1 MB.
