Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Move to tap community-based bodies for development

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The City Corporation is preparing to join hands with local communities for development of basic infrastructure and improvement of the urban environment. The civic body has initiated moves to kick-start a programme that will see the emergence of demand-driven initiatives to address local problems.

The programme is to be taken up under the Community Participation Fund (CPF) of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The CPF approach involves the participation of community organisations such as residents associations in preparing and executing infrastructure projects at the local level. The projects will be funded by the Union government under the JNNURM.

Water supply schemes, construction of creches for children, facilities for senior citizens, renovation of ponds, counselling and legal education centres, creation of hawker zones and markets are some of the projects that can be taken up under the CPF. The maximum funding for a CPF project is Rs.10 lakh. The community will have to contribute 10 per cent of the project cost.

Community Based Organisations (CBOs), such as Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), Neighbourhood Groups, Youth Clubs, and Market Committees are eligible to submit projects as representatives of urban communities. Proposals from CBOs must be endorsed by a minimum of 51 per cent of voters in the project area or the polling booth locality.

Capacity building of communities is an important component of the CPF plan. Operation, maintenance and sustenance of the project will be the responsibility of the community.

At a meeting held at the Corporation headquarters last week, councillors were briefed on the principles of the CPF. They were tasked with the responsibility of identifying community organisations that could spearhead the programme in their wards. The Corporation has agreed to provide a model for the CPF projects brought by local communities.

According to K.Kasturirengan, the Corporation’s Knowledge Manager for externally-funded programmes, CPF will open another chapter in harnessing local communities for development of urban facilities. “The general approach of the scheme is in tune with the People’s Participatory Programme in Kerala. We expect a good response.”

Mr.Kasturirengan said residents associations constituted the first choice as community-based organisations in the city. “The Ministry of Urban Development has promised speedy clearance for CPF projects. There is scope for at least one project per ward,” he said.

According to the JNNURM guidelines, the primary objective of CPF is to improve the capacity of local communities to effectively engage and contribute in improving their living environment. Based on the ‘local solutions for local issues’ approach, it is meant to catalyse the process of collective decision-making and ensure accountability of communities for proper maintenance of facilities.

JNNURM requires State governments to enact a Community Participation Law, to enable constitution of Area Sabhas within municipal wards. Area Sabhas are the grassroot community participation platforms comprising the voters in one or more polling stations. Communities are to submit their projects through the sabhas. The JNNURM guidelines specify that community-based organisations could submit projects till the area sabhas are constituted by law.

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