In this article for Deccan Herald, Vibhav Mariwala, Principal, Artha Global argues that in order for India to successfully address key challenges of the 21st century, from climate change to mass displacement, the Indian Republic must be reimagined by devolving power further to cities. Excerpts below:
“With local governments bearing the brunt of public service delivery, the Republic must be re-envisioned in such a way that the Union and states act as facilitators and coordinators of major policy challenges and imagine LGBs as public service delivery units”
“Nonetheless, ULBs as of now lack the means and power to impact citizens’ lives directly. They also act as first responders in cases of natural disasters, from cyclones to heat waves, and the cost of action and mitigation is immense. For example, the cost of climate change damage to coastal infrastructure across the country ranges from an estimated $27 billion in Mumbai to $43 million in the Baleshwar district of Odisha.”
Read the full article here.
