Governance | Citizen Matters

Urban Local Bodies in Karnataka still waiting for crores due to them

October 21, 2020 Himanshu Upadhyaya and Abhishek Punetha

Not only were PRIs and ULBs deprived of grants worth crores, authorities in Karnataka government also failed to get these grants released from the Centre, say CAG auditors.

New areas included within Ahmedabad city limits, but who gains?

September 8, 2020 Darshan Desai and Neha Amin

The question is especially pertinent given that the AMC is unable to provide basic infrastructure even within its present jurisdiction and faces a big loss of income due to COVID.

How Delhi flattened the COVID curve

August 13, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

The Delhi model, as described by the chief minister Kejriwal himself: “Testing, home isolation, transparent data, hospital beds and plasma therapy.”

Will MP government’s ‘Kill Corona’ campaign be enough to reverse the spike in Bhopal and Gwalior-Chambal belt?

July 13, 2020 Rishabh Shrivastava

It was only in June that the state implemented a number of steps, like setting up fever clinics, to curb the spread of the virus. There are also concerns that the upcoming elections may hurt transparency.

Six ways to empower our city governments

June 30, 2020 Milind Mhaske and Meghna Bandelwar

A pan-India research study identifies the challenges faced by urban governments from devolution of power to financial independence, and possible solutions to strengthen them.

Meet the man behind Srinagar’s determined COVID-19 fight: Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu

June 13, 2020 Abid Bashir Wani

“In the long run, we have to move beyond lockdowns and remain vigilant… we need to make certain changes in our lives,” said the flamboyant, active mayor of Srinagar in an exclusive interview.

Why 288 families in Bhopal were left scrounging for food during the lockdown

June 9, 2020 Porag Shome and Neelansh Sethi

Three slums in and around Bhopal are home to 288 Bel-Pardhi families, one of the 198 ‘denotified’ tribes in India. Here is what they faced during the lockdown.

Monsoon readiness in Patna: Plans aplenty on paper, but COVID slows execution

June 8, 2020 Amit Bhelari

After last years floods, a high level committee ordered construction of 17 new sump houses, but this has remained on paper. Work to make existing sump houses functional has also not taken off.

Fighting COVID-19 in Dharavi with just a face mask, Mumbai police gets a raw deal

June 1, 2020 Santoshee Gulabkali Mishra

Over 2000 cops in Mumbai have tested positive and 20 have succumbed to the disease. This could have been minimised had the 50000 strong force been better trained and equipped.

Op-ed: Now is the time to think of effective civic technology linking the citizen and state

May 26, 2020 Aditi Ramesh

As the world shifts increasingly online in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, civic technology can serve as a mechanism to distribute welfare, amplify citizen voices, and strengthen citizen-state relations.

Lal Dora: The invisible red thread limiting the lives of Delhi’s ‘urban villagers’

May 23, 2020 Paras Tyagi and Antara Vats

Villages like Budhela, Munirka, Mehrauli and others have all been absorbed into the urban limits of Delhi. But what does it mean for the natives and migrants residing here?

Does latest government protocol quell fears over safety of Aarogya Setu?

May 15, 2020 Rishabh Shrivastava

Who can access your personal data from the Aarogya Setu app and for how long? Latest govt rules clarify, but does that address safety concerns?

Looking beyond the cost of a ticket: Should migrant labourers go home?

May 12, 2020 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Watching the heartbreaking images of migrant labourers trying to reach home during the lockdown, it seems cruel to argue that they stay put. But to allow them to go back may be even more disastrous.

When Pune has almost as many COVID cases as Chennai, can we blame density alone?

May 7, 2020 Apekshita Varshney

Many experts have made urban density the culprit behind the spread of the coronavirus contagion in cities. But, it is really more about daily living and working conditions that our cities can ensure.

Why Shramik trains and other promises have brought little cheer to Mumbai’s migrant workers

May 5, 2020 Hepzi Anthony

Mumbai has an estimated 3 million migrant workers. Even if the railways ferry about 2400 people in two trains per day, it will take a couple of months to transport them back home.