Governing Locally

Institutions, Policies and Implementation in Indian Cities

Babu Jacob, Suraj Jacob

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Hardback

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English

Cambridge University Press
03 February 2022

Public administration; Regional government; Regional government policies; Political economy

India and other countries chose a decentralised mode of delivering public services through elected local governments for increasing public welfare. However, great expectations of effective services, increased accountability and people's participation were widely belied in practice. Based on field research in cities of Gujarat, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, the book is a detailed examination of how state and local governments function and why decentralisation outcomes vary considerably. It locates the primary reason in governance practices that compromised autonomy and capacity of urban local governments. The book demonstrates that despite a constitutional mandate for decentralised governance, policy implementation got derailed in processes threading through laws, rules, and administrative actions. It shows how habitual practices create hidden institutional rigidities that thwart policy moves despite good intentions and democratic legitimacy. The book also discusses how to navigate policy to skirt hidden threats to successful implementation.

By: Babu Jacob, Suraj Jacob
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 236mm, Width: 159mm, Spine: 24mm
Weight: 550g
ISBN: 9781108832342
ISBN 10: 1108832342
Pages: 318
Publication Date: 03 February 2022
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Babu Jacob has worked with the Indian Administrative Service since 1968 at different levels and in different governance domains in the Kerala state government and the national government, including in domains with direct relevance to this book (urban governance and public works). He retired as the Chief Secretary to the Government of Kerala. He researches governance and was affiliated with the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Trivandrum. Suraj Jacob is a political economist and currently teaches economics at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru. He is also affiliated with CDS, Trivandrum. He has worked as CEO of Vidya Bhawan, a 600-employee NGO in southern Rajasthan.

Reviews for Governing Locally: Institutions, Policies and Implementation in Indian Cities

'In simple and uncomplicated words, this book is path-breaking. Unlike rural panchayats, urban local self governance in India is understudied. By focusing on Trivandrum and Surat, among other things, this book gives us a deep understanding of why city governments function so differently in India. Counter-intuitive insights, especially about Kerala, abound. Urban India will become bigger and bigger in the coming years. Read this book to understand what is at stake!' Ashutosh Varshney, Brown University, USA