Avantha Foundation Urban Governance Programme

Governance requires prioritisation from key players. This is especially the case in smaller towns - Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)- that are undergoing rapid transformation and urbanisation. These areas and governing bodies are in a flux, and need support to adapt to the urbanisation and way of life, particularly as urban democratic governance roles and responsibilities are not clearly defined. Neither is there much focus on strengthening systems in these towns. Resources are available to ULBs from the state and centre, but they are all in the form of tied funds. Besides, most of these towns are unaware of how to channelise these resources.

In order to bridge this gap, and offer support in an area that has remained largely untouched, the Avantha Foundation has decided to seed innovation in democratic governance practices in small towns with a population of 25,000 to 50,000, through a fund created to support such innovation. This programme is unique because it aims to recognise best practices within ULBs as an outcome of good democratic governance, thereby establishing its impact on service delivery.

The Avantha Foundation has constituted the ‘Avantha Governance Innovation Fund’ to create/support models of good urban governance that brings together the key players viz the elected representatives, citizens and the bureaucracy on a single platform to resolve a pressing issue of their town.

The thrust of our programme is on encouraging and strengthening innovations in democratic governance through maximised citizens’ participation. This pioneering programme has been envisaged as a collaborative effort between all stakeholders of the ULB (elected representatives, bureaucrats and citizens) to address governance gaps and put in place sustainable systems for strengthening good governance in their town.

Our objectives:

• To recognise good democratic governance in select ULBs and provide a fillip to innovation
• To create awareness about significance of good democratic governance in small urban bodies
• To facilitate systemic change by highlighting best practices that could be replicated
• To empower ULBs by strengthening the democratic process
• To establish seamless interface between citizens fora and elected representatives to ensure good service delivery by the ULB
• To promote learning and experimentation amongst ULBs by creating a knowledge platform

In 2012-13, the target states are Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The Foundation has partnered with an NGO - Samarthan, in these states.

Avantha Foundation seeks to create this seed of change, by developing a platform that addresses democratic governance gaps in ULBs. The seed capital provided by Avantha Foundation will incentivise a movement or issue aimed at strengthening good democratic governance and sustainable development.