Kerala Tops Urban Governance Index in India

September 30, 2024

Kerala has earned the top spot in the Urban Governance Index (UGI) by the Praja Foundation, because of its strengths in managing finances and planning at the local level. However, the study also points out areas where Kerala can improve, especially in city administration.

What is the Urban Governance Index (UGI)?

The UGI is a study that looks at how well cities are governed in India. It took two years to complete and checked various aspects of governance. Kerala scored 59.31 out of 100, beating Odisha, which scored 55.10. This index can attract investments and improve the sustainability of cities by keeping governance efficient and up-to-date.

Kerala’s Financial Strength

Kerala performed very well in fiscal empowerment, which refers to how well the state manages its money. Kerala scored 23.22 out of 30 in this category, doing better than Maharashtra, which scored 21.15. This shows that Kerala has strong financial management at the local level.

Even though Kerala did well overall, it ranked 20th in terms of city administration empowerment. This means Kerala still has room to improve how its cities are run. However, it stands out by allowing mayors to write a yearly report on the performance of city commissioners.

Local Governance Practices

Kerala is one of only four states that require every city councillor to take part in at least one deliberative committee. This shows Kerala’s commitment to keeping its local government active and engaged.

The report mentions that states like Kerala are adopting new technologies to improve how local governments provide services and manage their cities. This is making things more efficient.

Challenges Kerala Faces

Despite its success, Kerala has some challenges. There are many vacant positions in local government jobs, which can affect how well cities are managed. Also, many functions are handled by multiple agencies, which reduces the power of city governments.

One common problem across many Indian states is the weak mayoral system, where mayors don’t have enough power to make important decisions. This affects the quality of governance.

Another issue is the delay in holding municipal elections in some cities, which means they don’t have elected local governments. Kerala, however, is seen as a model for holding these elections on time.

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