Citizen Committees

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• Citizen Committees
• in
• HDMC

Experiment in HDMC in participatory governance
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Hubli-Dharwad is not selected under JnNURM
whatever we did was out of our own initiative, to
provide a proficient, participative and enduring
city administration

• The three sections
• What we learnt from others
• What we learnt ourselves
• What we would like to learn from you

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HDMC (2004)

• Population 9 lakhs (Twin City)
• Two offices one in Hubli and one in Dharwad.
• Staff 1780 budget 47 crores
• Typical inefficient Municipal body discredited
  by all.
• 67 councilors

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• Section 1 What we learnt from others

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Pataliputra

• There was a gap between the citizens and the
  administration.
• Arthasastra talks about elaborate system of
  spies. The King spent substantial portion of his
  time on such issues. Intense spying is a mark of
  absence of direct means of interaction. It
  reveals that the administration is in stress.
• Such an administration is unsustainable and bund
  to collapse.
• Learning no 1
• Non-participative administration
• loses its credibility, adds stress to the system,
  
• hence inefficient and is unsustainable

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Failed plans and projects

• Out of 238 ULBs in Karnataka, having population
  more than 1 lakh, the number of ULBs which can
  boast of planned city and satisfactory
  infrastructure NIL.
• The plans and projects from both Government of
  India, and the state government come with such
  conditions, that ULBs dont have the capacity to
  match currently. (like asking the mal-nutrition
  child to run the 100m race and then get a bread
  loaf as price!)
• Most of the times the plans originate from top
  and rarely bottom citizens are allowed to plan
  themselves.
• Learning no 2
• ULBs have failed to take advantage of the plans
  and projects from Central ad state governments,
  due to absence of systems that will engage,
  absorb and digest such projects.

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Change with times to exist

• The citizens are ahead of the government, at
  least by 10 years. (quote from our Honble
  Minister of Finance, Budget Speech, GoI).
• If the ULB does not change at same pace, it will
  cease to be relevant, more so when time has
  become more important in urban living compared to
  rural.
• To ensure that we change, we need to be open and
  ready for criticisms.
• Learning no 3
• We need to tie ourselves with the moving
  society so that we, the crucial component of the
  city, are not left out.

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Section 2 What we learnt ourselves

Hubli-Dharwad Municipal corporation (HDMC),
administers the twin city of Hubli Dharwad
covering an area of 274 sq. km and population of
9 lakhs. A typical Urban local body, HDMC was
grappling with problems of short funds,
de-motivated and corrupt staff, inefficiency and
maladministration. Lack of trust erodes the
very foundation of the ULB, severely.

-Deccan Herald, December 2003
HDMC staff lock up offices Wednesday, May
08, 2002 030504 am TIMES NEWS NETWORK
DHARWAD The employees of Hubli-Dharwad
Municipal Corporation locked up the offices
located in HDMC premises on Tuesday as they have
not been paid salary for the month of April.
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Credibility

• To bring in credibility to HDMC, we decided to be
  transparent and respond to the citizens
  effectively. (24x7 response centre and extensive
  use of e-gov for transparency)
• Experimented with NGOs called Agenda groups for
  participative decision making. The following
  shortcomings were found.
• It created parallel authority
• Lacked credible representation, hence question by
  council
• Vested interest crept in
• After getting exposed to Nagar Raj Bill,
  Janaagraha etc, HDMC ventured into formation of
  Citizen committees
• Learning no 1
• Civic participation needs to be inclusive of
  all not create a parallel authority and
  strengthen the existing democratic set-up.

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The Citizen Committees

• After intense brain-storming it was decided not
  to go for election. It shall be voluntary, and
  selection to be objective. Invited
  self-nominations and weight was given to the
  relevant factors. 18.000 applications were sold,
  4500 volunteered and 2700 selected. Rest
  nominated adhoc.
• The change from Nagar Raj Bill
• 9 persons/booth, instead of 1and spread thru all
  ages.
• Affidavit, for qualification
• 1/3rd reservation for women and 1/3 for PUC
• 654 committees formed. Three modules of capacity
  programme given, manuals printed, directory in
  print.
• Learning no 2
• Experiment and hence have to be flexible,
  consensus decisions (Citizen advisory committee),
  and participation from the staff of ULB is
  critical.

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The Participation

• Credible system of participation to be put.
  Conflict resolution by divisional ombudsmen.
• The power to committees
• Critical and current info thru monthly
  newsletter.
• Participation in planning.
• Monitor and report.
• No tussle with either the council or
  commissioner, but work along with them towards a
  common goal. Networked (email) and team spirit.
• Learning no 3
• when we offer a credible platform, citizens
  volunteer to serve.

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HDMC (2007)

• Three divisions
• 12 zones connected via WAN
• Transparency thru public disclosure and E-gov
• Fool proof PGR system
• Participatory Governance

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Section 3 What we want to learn from you

• Dynamics between elected councilors and Citizen
  committees.
• Legal sanction Act or Bye-law?
• Change the work culture HRD funds?
• Technology Funds and support?
• Rework the Existing Municipal Act?

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• Heartfelt thanks to
• Jyothiramalingam, IAS, Principal Secretary
  (UDD)
• Subhash Chandra, IAS, Secretary (UDD)
• Prof. Savadatti, Ex-Vice Chancellor and Chairman,
  CAC
• Shri. Kaniram, IAS, Director of Municipal Admn
  GS, CMAK
• The Ex-councilors of HDMC
• All the staff of HDMC
• staff of CMAK and CDS cell and all others who
  work for civic participation
• Without whom the citizen committees would have
  been never possible