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A wake-up call for civic authorities

Satyasundar Barik

BHUBANESWAR: Even as slum dwellers of capital city as well as Puri Municipality know their elected representatives more `closely' than their non-slum counterparts, benefits of government schemes still elude these hapless citizens.

A study done out by Bhubaneswar-based Institute of Social Sciences (ISS) came out with some interesting findings which could be a wake-up call for authorities at the helm of the affairs of the two civic bodies.

"Among the slum house holds of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), a negligible 5.2 per cent were the beneficiaries of Antodaya Anna Yojna followed by 3.9 per cent under Widow Pension but in Puri Municipality maximum 3.7 per cent were the beneficiaries of the Anapurna and Antodoya Anna Yojna," the study said.

Pramila Prava Patnaik and Karunakar Patnaik of the ISS did the study, Provisions of Basic Services in Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and Puri Municipality, A situational analysis'.

Low awareness

The study pointed out at low awareness level among urbanites about different development programmes.

As low as 2.2 per cent of citizens interviewed by ISS researchers knew about National Urban Renewable Mission while 9.6 per cent were aware of National Slum Development Programme and 8.1 per cent could tell about Valmiki Ambedkar Malina Basti Awas Yojna (VAMBAY), the report said.

On the other hand, almost 100 per cent respondents in slums of Puri Municipality knew about their ward number and in case of BMC it was 98 per cent. In contrast, in non-slum areas no respondent in Puri knew about their ward number but in BMC, 57 per cent were aware of their ward number.

"Similarly, more slums households of BMC were aware of their respective corporators' name but in non-slum area, it was just reverse," the study found.

People's participation

The study was aimed at to improve urban governance with enhanced people's participation in decision-making process of realization of the entitlements of basic civic amenities in urban areas of Bhubaneswar and Puri.

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