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MEMORANDUM
SUB: IMMEDIATE ACTION TO ENSURE IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTICIPATORY & TRANSPARENT PROCESS IN FORMULATION OF ‘CITY DEVELOPMENT PLANS’, UNDER THE JNNURM
TO: The Minister for Urban Development (GOI) & Chairperson, National Steering Committee on JNNURM
CC: Members of the National Steering Committee
Members of the Central Sanctioning & Monitoring Committee
State Nodal Agencies
We, the undersigned, representing individuals and organizations working to enhance development, governance and reduce poverty, seek to direct your attention to the following concerns:
The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) was launched on December 3, 2005 by the Prime Minister, Shri Manmohan Singh, with the promise of enabling “cities to realize their full potential and become engines of growth”, in line with the objectives of the Common Minimum Program (CMP) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The launch of this Mission has been received with enthusiasm for its effort to create a momentum for urban transformation, but also with deep apprehensions on its possible use as an instrument to intensify the deprivation of critical populations from the process of decision-making and access to land, infrastructure and resources, such as through the repeal of existing laws such as ULCA, and consequences of private sector participation in basic services and infrastructure.
The development of detailed guidelines, as part of the JNNURM Toolkit, were seen as a measure to prevent the subjugation of the reform process to serve the interest of selective/ vested interests within a city. This includes requirements for consultative process of defining the Vision of the City through the involvement of city stakeholders, and a transparent process of developing the City Development Plan, and Systematic Investment Plan being proposed to the Mission.
We appreciate the integrity of purpose and enthusiasm with which the Chief Executives of several cities, such as Pune, Nagpur and Vadodara, have initiated this process of consultation towards ensuring a public ownership of the developmental goals of the city.
However we are greatly alarmed by the example being set by cities such as Mumbai in by-passing the consultative process, and reproducing selectively developed proposals as the public mandate for its development.
In the light of the experiences of the first two months of the scheme, we urge you to enforce the following safeguards to prevent the violation of the Mission’s objectives and procedure.
Compulsory City Stakeholder Meetings at each stage of preparation of CDP
Emphasize City Stakeholder Meetings as a pre-requisite for every stage of CDP development (Mission – Objectives – Development Plan – Investment Plan)
Publicizing Activities & Outcomes through Website and Newspapers
In addition to City Stakeholder Meetings, the municipal and state administration is also bound to publicize its activities and outcomes in relation to the formulation, financing and implementation of the CDP and other programs under the JNNURM at every stage through its website, and through notices in local newspapers.
We would also suggest that the Central Government should launch an independent publicity campaign across the country, in the same scale as is done for other Missions and Campaigns such as the on HIV-AIDS prevention, NRHM and Pulse Polio Campaign.
Acceptance of Proposals developed through Genuine Consultation
Proposals that were made prior to the launch of the Mission (3 December 2005) may not be considered as submissions for the CDP, and every city must implement the consultative procedures set down in the JNNURM Toolkit to arrive at its Development and Investment Plan
Transparency of Selection of Reform Components
Special emphasis should be laid on the public discussion of the Reform components of the Mission, particularly the repeal of existing laws and reform of existing services and functions of the government.
Progressive Selection of Reform Components
Special effort should also be made to ensure that the agreed reforms are implemented in a way that does not contradict, but promotes the objectives of the CMP and MDGs. Progressive measures for resource allocation for the urban poor, security of tenure & basic services, and direct participation through Area Sabhas should receive due priority and emphasis.
Information on Status of JNNURM across cities of India
Updates on the status of preparation towards and implementation of the JNNURM across the country should be displayed on the GOI website. This includes the status of funds, its allocation and expenditure under the scheme.
7. Mechanism for Direct Feedback on Implementation of JNNURM
The website must also enable citizens and civil society groups to provide direct feedback to the National Steering Committee on the implementation of the Mission across cities.
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