By Dr. Anil Kumar Jha Associate Professor (Geography) Government Girls P.G. College, Morar

1. International Symposium on Community Governance Practices '13 4 - 6 July 2013 Colombo 02, Sri Lanka. Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), Quality of Life and Community Participation: Emerging Space of Engagement in Urban Governance in Madhya Pradesh, India By Dr. Anil Kumar Jha Associate Professor (Geography) Government Girls P.G. College, Morar Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh (India) Email: anil.shruti@yahoo.com

2. Introduction • JNNURM is a unique project dedicated to the redevelopment of India’s cities, as India has traditionally primarily focused on the development of rural areas, especially its underdeveloped villages. • However urban India is fast growing but sometimes in unplanned ways. • The degrading conditions of the cities had forced the Government to launch the JNNURM in 2005 for integrated development and renewal of cities to adhere to the socio-economic objectives of the country. • Total 63 cities were identified for this mission during its period 2005-12.

3. Objectives of JNNURM • Focused attention to integrated development of infrastructure services in cities covered under the Mission; • Establishment of linkages between asset-creation and asset-management, • Ensuring adequate funds to meet the deficiencies in urban infrastructural services; • Planned development of identified cities including peri-urban areas, outgrowths and urban corridors leading to dispersed urbanization; • Scale-up delivery of civic amenities and provision of utilities with emphasis on universal access to the urban poor; • Special focus on urban renewal programme for the old city areas to reduce congestion; and • Provision of basic services to the urban poor including security of tenure at affordable prices, improved housing, water supply and sanitation, and ensuring delivery of other existing universal services of the government for education, health and social security.

4. Sectors • Mission has been structured with a clear focus on these two important components – urban infrastructure and basic services to the urban poor, with governance reform as an overarching third component. • Urban Infrastructure and Governance (UIG): This will be administered by the Ministry of Urban Development through the Sub-Mission Directorate for Urban Infrastructure and Governance. The main thrust of the Sub-Mission is on infrastructure projects relating to: • Urban renewal, that is, redevelopment of inner (old) city areas including widening of narrow streets, shifting of industrial and commercial establishments from non-conforming (inner city) areas to conforming (outer city) areas to reduce congestion, replacement of old and worn out pipes by new and higher capacity ones, renewal of the sewerage, drainage, and solid waste disposal system, etc; and shifting industrial and commercial establishments to conforming areas. • Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP)

5. The JNNURM and its Impact on the Bhopal City • Bhopal in spite of being the state capital with possession of rich heritage and scenic beauty is facing problems of inadequate infrastructure and majority of population is living in sub-standard conditions. There is a threat to the environmental condition and scenic beauty in the City of Lakes. The JNNURM has provided the opportunity to the citizens of Bhopal to decide the future of their city, better urban lifestyle, better environment and physical social and economic uplift of urban poor. Initiatives under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission will provide a platform for the city to achieve this long term vision. • Transport:To encounter problems in transport sector, a series of works are being carried out under the JNNURM, like increase in width of the carriageway and up-gradation of existing road surface from black top to cement concrete including footpath and storm water drains, street lighting, etc; along with removal of encroachments and resettlement of the same and replanning of existing services passing along the existing section of road. Parking area development and renewal of bus stands is also being done with successfully transplanting of trees under all transport sector projects.

6. Environment: The overall objective of sustainable human settlement is to improve the socioeconomic and environmental quality of life of all people. This objective is well accomplished by the work being undertaken under the JNNURM for upgrading different sectors like sewage, water and solid waste management. • Sewerage: Bhopal does not have a planned and full-fledged sewerage system. The vision to provide safe sewage disposal for the citizen of Bhopal, a number of interventions have been made like laying of pipe line network branches as well as mains in the areas not provided with sewerage system and connections of balance work of Bhoj Wet Land Project and the connection of overflow from septic tanks has been connecting to the overall existing sewer system. These projects been carried out under sewerage sector which have a significant positive impact on health, hygiene and eventually resulting in better quality of life. • Water:Only 67 percent of the population has access to piped water supply that too for a short period of 2-4 hours in the day in Bhopal. Under the JNNURM the vision is to provide safe drinking water for all which will eventually have serious impacts on the health and will ultimately result in better quality of life. To meet water demand and close present gaps, different projects have been implemented. Narmada Water Supply Scheme is one of this under, which new sources of water have been created. Water auditing has been used to reduce the system losses and to make the entire supply of water accountable.

7. Solid Waste: City vision is to provide a comprehensive and sustained solid waste management system with modern and scientific answers to collection. A series of works have been carried out under the JNNURM scheme. Primary collection has increased as domestic solid waste from households and small commercial establishments has reached at least 85 percent of households in high-density areas, and 60 percent in the lower density (generally) suburban areas. • Basic services to urban poor: Around 25,000 houses have been developed for urban poor along with construction of community 10 seat 30 toilets and construction of individual toilets numbering 25,000. Ground plus two structures for EWS housing schemes have been introduced on the identified land for relocating the slum with all required basic infrastructure like safe drinking water supply, sewer and storm water network, solid waste disposal, electrification, community centre, primary health centre, etc; along with relocation of some slums in the city. Integrated Area Development Scheme has been carried out for urban poor in phases and providing basic facilities; also enhanced the environmental cleanliness along with providing affordable community facilities with security of tenure and ownership rights. It is hoped that all these provisions will eventually upgrade the quality of life of the urban poor.

8. Urban Governance and Community Participation: Role of Mohalla Samiti • The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) has proposed a solution of this problem by suggesting the enactment of a Community Participation Law (CPL) in all those states which are taking benefits of the JNNURM. The CPL proposes division of a ward into smaller units with lesser segments of population, so that citizens can be involved effectively in planning and governance activities in their localities. • To abide with this provision, the Madhya Pradesh Government has passed the Madhya Pradesh Nagar Palika Mohalla Samiti Act in June 2009.This Act provisions the constitution of Mohalla Samiti (MS) as the lowest unit of local self-governance in the urban areas. But questions regarding the ability of this Act in addressing the concerns that are central to the participatory urban governance remain unanswered. • ‘Mohalla’ in this Act is defined as a portion or sub-set of a local body, a colony, an apartment or a hamlet where a minimum of 100 households reside. This definition does not provide a homogeneous structure of the MS and that raises concerns over the uniformity of jurisdiction and the distribution of power and resources to the MS.

9. This is good from the point of view that if the MS is smaller in size, access of citizens to functions of the MS would be high and effective. But at the same time,accommodating the demands and aspirations of all MSs could be a herculean task for the authorities. • On the other hand, the CPL proposes to form an Area Sabha (AS) in one or more polling booths. A polling booth generally comprises of 1200-1500 population. It means that in a ward there could be 15-20 ASs, while in case of the MS; this number can go up to 50. Therefore, the proposed arrangement of the MS puts a question on the feasibility of the application of the Act. • The Madhya Pradesh Nagar Palika Mohalla Samiti Act is still to be enacted. The seven-year tenure of the JNNURM (2005-12) is over now; no Mohalla Samiti has been created in the State so far. Let’s see how feasible and effective it would be in enhancing the real participation of citizens in urban governance.

10. Conclusion • The JNNURM has completed its duration 2005-2012 and its impact on Bhopal city seems to be satisfactory. • The Madhya Pradesh Nagar Palika Mohalla Samiti Act is still to be enacted. • The seven-year tenure of the JNNURM (2005-12) is over now; no Mohalla Samiti has been created in the State so far. • Lastly, community participation in Urban Governance is still a dream due to prevailing corruption in all spheres of life and questionable integrity both public representatives and bureaucracy.

11. Thank You