CIVICs work on ‘Participatory Planning and Budgeting in a Ward’

There are number of stakeholders in a ‘Participatory Planning’ at the ward level - people/communities, organized groups, elected representatives, ward officials, etc., It is important that all are involved in the process for its success and continuity. It is a challenge. We have started with one ward – Sagayapuram (Ward 60) in Bengaluru/Bangalore .

We started with the Bruhath Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officers – the zonal commissioner, chief engineer and others. The idea was shared and we were encouraged by the positive response. Then we identified active RWAs in the ward and arranged for an interactive session with RWAs and BBMP officials on 16^th January 2010. The concept was shared and all accepted that a ward plan has to be developed involving people from each and every area in the ward. This was the beginning of the next challenge – bridging the social divide in the ward.

Social composition of Ward 60 is complex matrix. Southern part is well developed and inhabited by middle/upper class families while the northern part is underdeveloped and inundated with little dwellings – as can be seen from the ward map. The biggest challenge was in bringing different sections of society on a single platform to collectively plan for the ward.

While the RWAs are active in southern part, it took a while to convince them that a plan for the ward can’t be a plan drawn only by them but people and communities from different areas need to be involved. They appreciated this point and agreed to work with northern sections. The first hurdle was crossed.

The second step was to identify individuals/groups in the northern part that are simply oblivious to the idea of ‘participation’ and then bring them around to sit with organized RWAs. We succeeded after numerous forays into the northern area, known for notorious activities. The concept was shared with individuals and organizations of the northern section. Collectively they now have formed a Federation of Civil Societies of Sagayapuram – Ward 60 (FCSS-Ward 60). The RWAs from the south agreed that from the budget meant for the ward, the already developed portion, where they are from, needs only maintenance work while the bulk of it has to go to the poorer portion, the northern portin, for development works.

This was followed with area-wise meetings with people, identification and assessment of requirements, especially in the under-developed areas – Sagaypuram layout, Bagalur layout, Gidappa block, Pillanna garden layout, MS slum area - with active participation of RWAs. A cumulative list of required works was prepared for each area. The list was prioritized for each area in couple of ensuing meetings. And finally first, second and third priority list of works for the areas were finalized in the meeting. Later the requirements were put into drawings and were budgeted.

Thus a ‘Programme of Works (PoW) for the year 2010-2011 for Ward 60’ was evolved by the people/organizations. The PoW was presented to the newly elected councilor Ms. Palaniyammal V, who inturn handed it over to the urban local body, the BBMP, represented by its Executive Engineer in an open meeting with people of the ward on 7^th May 2010. Both the Councillor and the Executive Engineer have assured to adopt this PoW for the coming year. The PoWs were officially submitted to the BBMP with formal letters – records of which would facilitate further follow up – if necessary through RTI.   

This is only the beginning! We hope to build on this model and perfect it to suit various situations in different wards and push it through the council as a model process in other wards of Bengaluru. And in the mean time we hope an enabling piece of legislation in the form of Bengaluru Regional Governance Bill will be put in place to back this up. It is also noteworthy that the local government, state government and the central government have signed a tripartite MoA under JNNURM that a ‘public participation law’ will be enacted – a mandatory reform, which is due. We hope this process would help to realise the participation of people in governance as envisaged under the Nagarapalika Act (74^th Constitutional Amendment Act).