The study will be carried out in five phases within a year. Nearly six years after the Delhi High Court called for a “relook” at the system of governance in the national capital, the Delhi government has engaged IIM-Ahmedabad to study and “develop an appropriate administrative structure” for the city, known for multiplicity of agencies.
In Delhi, a union territory with a legislative assembly currently ruled by the AAP, crucial sectors — including police, land, and public order — come under the Union government. Administrative control of the municipal corporations, led by the BJP, also lies with the Centre.
A team led by Professor Sundaravalli Narayanaswami of IIM-A will carry out the study, for which a dedicated portal has been launched. The team members are former IAS officers K S Mehra and Ramesh Negi; serving DSIIDC managing director Vikas Anand; Secretary (Town and Country Planning) of Puducherry, K Mahesh; Delhi Health Special Secretary Sandeep Mishra; and retired IIM-A professor N Ravichandran.
What the HC said
The High Court had in 2015 observed that systems of governance, conceived “a century or half a century ago”, have failed with the vast expansion of Delhi. It also pointed to lack of efforts in bringing about upgradations to cater to the new reality. However, it emphasised that the new administrative structure will have to be devised in consultation with the Centre “within the ambit of the Constitutional status of Delhi”. The legal hurdles in implementing a revised administrative structure was to be addressed after a proposal is drawn up, it had added.
“Based on the Delhi High Court judgment in response to a writ petition, GNCTD has engaged IIM-Ahmedabad to study and to develop an appropriate administrative structure for the Delhi region. The scope of the study includes a survey-based investigation which captures the portfolio of services offered, quality of services offered, aspirations of the citizen, and the existing gap in administering the services. The committee will also suggest changes in governing structures to promote citizen-centric approach in governing Delhi,” states the scope of the study.
The survey-based investigation will take a detailed look at the quality of services offered in a range of areas, including water, electricity, education, health, waste collection, transport, street lighting, women’s safety and policing. The HC had suggested that a consultant be appointed to carry out the study.
A circular from the Urban Development Department said the team will conduct one-to-one interviews with senior officials heading departments, projects, agencies as well as policy-makers. As per the timeline of activities planned, the study will be carried out in five phases within a year.