India's Cities And City-Governments

INDIA'S CITIES AND CITY-GOVERNMENTS

In the 21st century, the most important socio-economic unit of a country is the city. Cities are the centres of wealth-creation and job-creation. So an efficient political system must be based on this fundamental reality. That means a city-based political system - in which city-governments have all the powers necessary to manage their cities efficiently. But currently we have a feudal/medieval political system - in which city-governments are under the control of the state-government. And the inefficiency of this system has been completely exposed by the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

Every city has its own resources and capabilities on the one hand - and its own problems and challenges on the other hand. So cities must use their resources and capabilities to deal with their problems and challenges. City-governments can do this if:

1. They have full powers

2. They are directly elected by the city's people

3. They are answerable to the city's people.

They cannot do this if:

1. They have limited powers

2. They are indirectly elected by the city's people

3. They are not answerable to the city's people

Which is the case now.

Fully empowered city-governments will manage our cities efficiently, create jobs and remove poverty. As long as we continue with our current 2-level government system (centre + states) we will remain a third world country. To become a superpower, we must change to a 3-level government system (centre + states + cities).