How can you be a part of India’s story?
A democracy needs active and involved citizens to thrive. Here’s how you can do your part.
India is home to more than 140 crore people, who live across villages, towns, and cities. In our country, the democratic and federal nature of governance permeates through every layer of society, right to the grassroots level. The most notable manifestation of this is the existence of local governing bodies in both rural and urban settings. They form the backbone of decentralised governance and ensure that every citizen has a chance to become a part of India’s development.
The question is: Are we, as citizens, doing enough to be a part of India’s story?
The truth is that a large number of urban citizens spend a lifetime without involving themselves in any decisions pertaining to their cities. They are often disconnected from their city’s governance, its local authorities, and other civic institutions.
In his decade-long journey in civic volunteering, 37-year-old Jairaj Mandayam has witnessed this passivity closely. “Even after several outreach programmes, it is difficult to get 30 people together,” Mandayam said. He has been dedicatedly working towards solving the pervasive issue of solid waste management in several parts of Bengaluru. As our cities grapple with the impacts of climate change, population growth, and rapid development, we all have to take ownership of our neighbourhoods.
Your place in your city
According to the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act (CAA) and the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (KMC) Act, 1976, Ward Committees are constitutionally mandated platforms that need to be formed in cities that have a population of more than three lakhs. The chairperson is the councillor, and the corporation nominates ten ward committee members. Ward Committees are also supposed to draft the Ward Development Scheme, wherein they identify issues, prioritise them, submit proposals for fund allocation, and then plan for execution.
In Bengaluru, ward committees are functional. As a citizen, knowing your ward and attending your ward meeting could be the starting point of your civic engagement journey.
It all starts with participating in your ward
42-year-old Poongothai Paramasivam is an entrepreneur in Bengaluru’s Gottigere ward. She is also an active citizen of her ward and had been inquiring about rain shelters at bus stops in ward meetings. “Residents of Gottigere suffered a lot during the rainy season due to the absence of shelters at most of the bus stops,” she said.
Paramasivam participated in Janaagraha’s Bus Stop Quality Survey, which measures the quality of bus stops across three broad parameters: accessibility, comfort, and display and safety. Janaagraha’s mission is to work with citizens and governments to transform the quality of life in India’s cities and towns. The survey was carried out by citizen volunteers of the ward and ward committee members of the area. They surveyed all the bus stops that fell within the 5 kilometre road networks identified in Gottigere and Banasawadi.
“The survey resulted in the construction of a few bus stop shelters,” Paramasivam said. “Other parameters like bus time display, seating place, dustbin, and so on, are pending for implementation,” she added.
“Citizens are the users and beneficiaries of public transport, making the role of citizen volunteers crucial. They have first-hand experience with the ground realities of the situation. Their participation also conveys a sense of ownership, creates engagement, and establishes transparency in the survey.” — NM Varchaswini, associate, Civic Participation Karnataka, Janaagraha
Active participation in your ward gives high returns
Janaagraha’s participatory budgeting campaign, My City My Budget, collected input from citizens for nearly seven years. These inputs were then submitted to the city government. “As a result of this campaign, BBMP allocated Rs. 60 lakhs per ward for borewells, potholes, and footpaths in the year 2021–22. This sum increased in the coming year to Rs. 1 crore per ward and eventually to Rs. 2 crore per ward in the next budget,” said Varchaswini.
Another initiative by Janaagraha, Community Policing, facilitated collaboration between citizens and police by appointing Area Suraksha Mitras (or citizen volunteers) to address local concerns jointly. This programme spurred citizen awareness of their role in governance, leading them to advocate for Ward Committee meetings despite bureaucratic hurdles.
There are many such examples where citizen participation has been instrumental in creating better, safer, and more responsive neighbourhoods.
Go local for your issues
While all aspects of a citizen’s life are affected by public infrastructure, policies, and governance, the majority of citizens are intimidated by the prospect of engaging with decision-makers.
In Mandayam’s experience, engaging with the decision-makers, especially the elected ministers, can prove challenging. It would also require resources that a common citizen is not in a position to invest in.
But he adds that the government officials working in local agencies are quite accepting of ideas and suggestions from common citizens. “The local authorities know the ground reality. They are quite reciprocative,” he added. Paramasivam also puts her faith in the local authorities. “Continuous engagement with officials and understanding the process followed by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will help citizens resolve their issue,” she said.
Take the first step
Engaging with the local authorities for civic issues in your locality could be an intimidating step for a common citizen. “Who will do it? Will they approach the authorities in a group or individually?” — Mandayam asks important questions. A reliable place to start is to get in touch with the civil society organisations and active and involved citizens in your area. Join a cohort, and pledge dedication.
Today, perhaps you could take out time to read My City, My Responsibility, a handbook by Janaagraha that Mandayam shared. This could be your starting point.
Tell us about your ward in your city? Are there any issues that you are facing in your ward? Tell us in the comments.
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