Good Governance in Local Self-Government

Centralization of power and the attempt to dominate the urban local bodies have been at the root of much of our troubles. The government’s efforts in providing Good Governance have failed and even worsening. The term ‘Governance’ is a vast area, which is not an allen or new concept It calls for good administration so as to look after the welfare of the people. In the present book, an attempt has been made on the issues of Good Governance in municipal administration. The present book has been divided in several chapters, such as: (1) Good Governance: Reforms in Local Self-Government, wherein issues relating to autonomous nature of local bodies and the provisions of 74th Constitutional Amendment have been discussed; (2) Urban Slums: Issues and Challenges, in this chapter the issues relating to concept, evolution and growth off slums with solutions have been made out; (3) Urban Poverty chapter contains its definition, its impact on urbanization, causes and its extent have been discussed; (4) In the chapter relating to Urban Poverty Alleviation Programmes, all such programmes have been discussed in detail; (5) The chapter title as, Urban Poverty Alleviation Programmes: A Step towards Women’s Empowerment, has been focused with problems of women living in slum areas with an aim on these programmes including 74th CAA; (6) Urban Health and Healthy Cities make it livable; and finally (7) The chapter, Community Mobilization: People’s Participation was focused with an aim that nothing can be achieved without the help of community at large. The author has tried to deal with existing, emerging and future problems faced by urban local self-government and come out with constructive suggestions, which can make the life off the people in the city enjoyable in all aspects. The research methodology is based on study off literature; personal studies conducted by the author and personal experience as a citizen. The author has also acted as trainers in many programmes of executive development of the officers of the local self-government. Such opportunities provided intimate relationships, which led to know the real issues faced by local self-government for Good Governance. The chapters are supplemented with charts, tables, graphs and case studies to make the reading interesting and comprehensible. A special feature of this book is that it deals with the Good Governance issues, while it engages itself in emerging areas like Reforms in Municipal Administration: Urban Health, Urban Poverty and Women’s Empowerment, in the vicinity of urban local self-government. The book provides concrete suggestions and does not merely describe the urban phenomenon. It is hoped that this book would be useful to the scholars of urban local self-government and especially to those who are engaged in planning, policy-making and decision-making about urban local self-government. It is also useful for all the citizens living in cities to know their rights and duties towards making the city beautiful.