Local governance bodies in India are the most important democratic structures that define the quality of life of most citizens and shape their immediate environment. India's democracy, while boasting the world's largest electorate, often suffers from a disconnect between citizens and their local governance. While national and state-level elections grab the spotlight, local bodies like Gram Panchayats and Municipalities, responsible for crucial day-to-day issues, frequently operate under the radar. It's time to bridge this gap and amplify the voices of citizens in shaping their immediate environment. This is the essence of being âVocal for Local Governance', a call to action for active participation in building a better-governed India.
Why Local Matters
Data paints a compelling picture:
Almost 70% of India's population resides in rural areas, directly impacted by local governance decisions. (Census 2011)
Gram Panchayats handle over 29 subjects, including water, sanitation, roads, and healthcare, directly impacting citizens' lives. (Ministry of Panchayati Raj)
Studies show a strong correlation between active citizen participation and improved development outcomes in areas like literacy, sanitation, and poverty reduction. (World Bank, 2020)
While villages and Gram Panchayats give us a clear picture of the importance of local governance structures, the same is equally true for towns and cities.
We need to give way more attention to the phenomenon of localized democracy and governance than we currently do. This will not only improve the quality of life for most citizens, but will also bring stability and resilience to democracy in India. With an improved and responsive immediate environment, people will be less discontent and will have greater trust in the system.
The role of technology and social platforms:
The first and the most important step for achieving an effective and responsive local governance is to increase interactions among citizens and other stakeholders. Citizens need to talk more about the state of their immediate surroundings. Issues and aspirations related to local governance take the center stage.
Given the size and diversity of India's geographical and democratic landscape, it is understandable that mainstream media cannot make local governance as its main talking point. Social Media platforms could have filled this void by providing citizens with a space to talk about their surroundings and to have action-oriented interactions with other stakeholders. But, the existing platforms have made the situation worse. Short attention spans and noise have further disconnected the people. The true potential and power of social platforms is still to be realized. The technology in the 21st century gives us a tremendous opportunity to make a better-governed and more stable society. All we need to do is to reimagine social interactions.
A few anecdotes from the Ground:
Let's turn to real stories:
In Maharashtra's Wardha district, a group of women, fed up with water scarcity, mobilized their community, approached the Panchayat, and secured funds for a new well, transforming their lives. In Tamil Nadu's Namakkal district, youth volunteers trained villagers on solid waste management, leading to a cleaner environment and reduced health risks. In Odisha's Khordha district, citizens collaborated with the Panchayat to create a vibrant public library, fostering literacy and community engagement.
These stories highlight the immense potential unlocked when citizens become active stakeholders in their local governance. Indian can produce millions of such stories every years; all we need to do is to create platforms that enable such stories to happen.
Be vocal for local governance for âAtmanirbhar Bharat'
Talking about the goal of âAtmanirbhar Bharat', Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasizes on the importance of being âVocal for Local'. By this slogan, PM Modi has tried to pull people's attention to local manufacturing and economy. But, we need to extend this call to action and give it a whole new meaning. Local democracy and governance structure should become the core of India's stability and progress in the 21st century. More attention to immediate surroundings can improve the quality of life in an unprecedented way and can tackle the inefficiency and insensitivity of the top-down bureaucratic setup - a legacy of the colonial era.
In essence, as we navigate the complexities of the 21st century in which rhetoric and virtue signaling are paramount, the imperative to have continuous interactions, regular feedback, and âSkin in the Game' has never been clearer. It is time to recognise the transformative potential of local governance and to create tools and platforms that can enable a society where the voices of local communities are heard, valued, and empowered to shape their own destinies.
Authored by Ajay Sharma, Co-Founder & CEO at PoGoSo Social
