Clean Streets Need Capable Cities
· India · Business Standard
Urban local bodies across India face severe administrative and financial constraints in managing municipal solid waste and maintaining basic sanitation. Rapid urbanisation has outpaced the capacity of municipal corporations, leading to chronic backlogs in garbage collection and street cleaning. State governments often retain control over key municipal functions and revenues, leaving city mayors and commissioners with limited autonomy to raise funds or execute reforms. Strengthening urban governance requires granting municipal bodies genuine fiscal federalism, predictable revenue streams, and professional administrative cadres. Without structural empowerment at the city level, national sanitation campaigns struggle to achieve permanent and sustainable results.
Why it matters
Urban residents face persistent public health risks and deteriorating living conditions when municipal authorities lack the financial and administrative capacity to maintain clean public spaces.
Read the original report — Business Standard
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