ANNOUNCEMENTS
The study explores concepts like participatory governance and its theories and initiatives taken by India Government for enhancing participation. The study was about the identification of participatory spaces like ward committee, area sabha, councillor discretionary budget and grievance redressal mechanism in Ahmedabad. Detailed study of the mandates on powers, duties, functions and rights was conducted of the State and Central Government, for understanding level of participation of different stakeholders in decision making process, especially urban poor. Mandates of other States like Kerala, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana are also analysed to draw leanings from them for working of ward committee and area sabha. Analysis of councillor discretionary budgets were done at ward level to understand if urban poor have a stake in this participatory space. Mahila Housing Trust (MHT), NGO working in Ahmedabad was studied for understanding their way of working and level of engagement with the people. The key finding from the study is that ward committee in Ahmedabad is not inclusive, lacks in transparency and not participatory in nature, neglecting poor from the whole process. Councillor budget have higher per capita budget allocated to urban poor, representing their stake in this space but it lacks effective working. NGO works at the ground level from capacity building to involvement of each household in decision making process. The solutions proposed for increasing the proximity of citizen to government is to constitute area sabha in Ahmedabad, have civil society involvement for inclusivity, ward committee will have fiscal devolution and information delivered to citizens for increasing transparency and accountability and institutionalising CBOs working in Ahmedabad for incorporation of urban poor.
Keywords: Participatory Spaces, Ahmedabad, Participatory Governance, Urban Poor
