From the KA/21 KARC engagement led by Balasubramanya R (Fellow Designate) assisted by Rudrashish Sinha
The engagement focuses on enhancing service delivery to citizens through recommendations, strengthening Urban Local Governance ecosystem by working on digital data platforms and adopting a Shared Services Corporation for providing back-office operations for government departments, thereby strengthening governance effectiveness & efficiency.
Engagement Highlights
Urban Governance
- The Fellow has been working on a detailed study of the current urban governance ecosystem in terms of funds (revenue and expenditure), processes, citizen services, data management, governance structures, functionaries and performance management
- The Fellow is also enabling deliberations and convergences with relevant internal and external stakeholders e.g. BBMB, BMRDA, BDA, Janaagraha, etc. to obtain insights on relevant areas of urban governance and have them incorporated into the outlook and action plan for the KARC recommendations
- Recommendations made to focus on incorporating innovative means to raise urban finances - Value Capture Financing (VCF), Betterment Levies, Trade license fees, the potential of Municipal Bonds, etc.
Shared Services Cooperation
The Fellow has started picking up extensive field visits to multiple departments and public offices to get a bird’s eye view of the governance landscape in the context of building increased efficiency. The objective is to develop business cases for various government processes and functions that can be housed within the SSC such as Accounting / Budgeting / Utility Bills, Procurement and Vendor Management, Asset Management among others.
Recommendations/Reports
- Submission of First Draft of following reports/recommendations - Shared Services Agency, Stakeholder Advisory Councils, Vendor Management, Post Harvest Cell, Rationalisation of Hostels, and Scheme for 2-wheelers for Health Workers, State Volunteering Program has been completed.
- Report on GP arrears to ESCOMs and Cut Waste Taskforce for KARC’s third report is also ready.
- Submission of the Final Draft of Work Improvement Teams and Urban Governance (Good Governance) recommendations and concept note (Third KARC report) has been made.
- The Fellow has worked on drafting the Land Leasing Law starting with research and benchmarking of best practices across India.
