Media Release
Mangaluru, Nov 17: Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy appreciates Mangaluru City Corporation’s initiative of extending the deadline for citizens to submit ward committee (WC) applications to December 4.
On November 11, Janaagraha had held its fifth edition of ‘City Politics’ webinar and panel discussion on ‘Decoding Ward Committees for the citizens of Mangaluru.’
During the session, several of the panellists had pointed out that although the MCC had invited applications from citizens to become ‘Ward Committee’ members, there was not enough time to create awareness on the contribution or transformation that ward committees can bring to the respective wards.
The panellists also pointed out that the local civic body had not sufficiently inspired citizens with case studies and examples from other cities about the opportunities entailing ward committees such as direct redressal of grievances, active citizen participation in the ward development, and making corporators role accountable, among others.
The luminaries from legal, civic and citizen groups who had participated in Janaagraha’s webinar had categorically predicted poorer public turnout and opined that more time is needed to inspire citizens to apply.
While Janaagraha welcomes MCC’s decision to extend the deadline for the ward committee enrollment, it urges Mangalureans to submit applications to become a WC member before December 4 and strengthen the cause of civic participation in urban governance.
“Janaagraha welcomes the extension of the deadline by the commissioner and urges all citizens of Mangaluru, especially women, to come forward. It is your city and you can play a small but significant role in shaping it by giving a small amount of time for your ward committee. In Bengaluru, many wards have seen a positive change as a result of citizen involvement in the ward committees and I am sure the impact in Mangaluru would be even better,” says Srinivas Alavilli, head, and civic participation at Janaagraha.
On November 11, around 250 citizens had attended Janaagraha’s online discussion led by panellists Kathyayini Chamaraj, executive trustee of Citizens’ Voluntary Initiative for the City of Bangalore (CIVIC), Bengaluru, Narendra Kumar president of Nagarika Shakti, Ajoy D’Silva, MCC Civic Group co-founder, Srinivas Alavilli, head, Civic Participation at Janaagraha, Dr Rita Noronha, director, Centre for Development Studies and Education, Asha Nayak senior advocate and special public prosecutor, Gerard Towers, RTI and civic activist and GK Bhat, social activist.
Link to watch the webinar: https://www.facebook.com/ichangemycity/videos/403887657455909/
About Janaagraha
Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy is a non-profit Trust in the Jana group co-founded by Swati Ramanathan and Ramesh Ramanathan in 2001. Janaagraha’s mission is to transform the quality of life in India’s cities and towns. It works with citizens to catalyse active citizenship in city neighbourhoods and with governments to institute reforms to city governance (what we call 'City-Systems').
The 'City-System' framework is a whole-of-systems approach to solving for India’s cities and comprises four distinct yet interdependent components: Urban Planning and Design (master plans, design standards for public utilities), Urban Capacities and Resources (municipal finance, municipal staffing and technology), Political Leadership (empowerment, legitimacy) and Transparency and Citizen Participation (public disclosures, citizen participation, service level guarantees and grievance redressal).