PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO MUMBAI

(Media Coverage Report)

President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil

Presents Nagar Ratna Award

Mumbai, July 8, 2011

Government of India

PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU

Mumbai

VMC gets Nagar Ratna award for urban poor housing

Vadodara : The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) bagged the All India Institute for Local Self

Government ( AIILSG) Nagar Ratna Award for the urban poor housing schemes in the city. VMC

commissioner M K Das received the award on the day he was transferred from the city on Friday.

The VMC has taken up a major drive to construct houses for the urban poor in the city under the

Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The civic body has already begun work on

the ambitious project to make 21,000 houses and has constructed over 8,000 houses in the city.

The construction of the housing blocks has been taken up in a phased manner. While the work on the

first phase that comprises of 6,668 houses is nearing completion that on the phase two is under way

while land has been allocated by the state government for the third phase.

VMC officials said that over 5,400 houses have already been allotted under the scheme. The civic body

has now adopted a policy of displacing only those slum dwellers whose houses are ready. Several

hutments were cleared by the civic body after the residents were given alternative housing, but were

refusing to move.

AMC gets Nagar Ratna

AHMEDABAD: Municipal commissioner I P Gautam was in Mumbai receiving the 'All India Institute of

Local Self-Government Nagar Ratna Award for the Best Performing City' in the country from President

Pratibha Patil when his transfer orders came on Friday afternoon. This award was just one among the 14

national and international awards that Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation won under Gautam's

leadership covering five years. Till June 2006, AMC had just two awards in its kitty.

Other Nagar Ratna awards went to Vadodara Municipal Corporation for basic amenities to urban poor,

Rajkot Municipal Corporation for complaints redressal system and Surat Municipal Corporation for

innovation.

Participation of residents is the key to growth of cities, says Pratibha Patil Mumbai : Stressing the need for citizens’ participation, President Pratibha Patil on Friday said that

it is the key to good governance and better administration of cities. Patil was speaking at the

Nagar Ratna Award ceremony in the city instituted by the All India Institute of Local Self

Government, where 12 municipal corporations were presented awards, out of the 63 in the country

covered under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

JNNURM is a massive city modernisation scheme, launched by the union government, under

which funds are provided to cities for developing urban infrastructure and services. In return, the

city carries out mandated reforms.

The Nagar Ratna Awards aim to recognise those municipal corporations that have performed the

best in fulfilling their responsibilities towards, and need of citizens.

The overall best performer – this year, Ahmedabad municipal corporation – is presented with a

trophy and cash prizes.

“A city depends as much upon its planners and administration, as on the people dwelling in it, who

essentially determine its character. Hence the feeling is that for the government alone to take

action is not correct,” said Patil, addressing the award ceremony, held at YB Chavan hall, south

Mumbai.

“From waste management to energy and water conservation to planting trees – all these can be

successful only with citizens’ participation. It is a two-way relationship between local self-

government and citizens,” she said.

“Every citizen should have access to livable habitats and basic amenities like water, sanitation,

transport and energy.”

Potholes are the road to bagging national award

The Kalyan-Dombivli municipal corporation has ironically bagged a national award for the best road development by

any civic body in the country. The region has some of the worst roads in the city, a fact admitted by its mayor

Vaijayanti Gujar. "Right now, the roads of my city are definitely not in an award-winning condition," she said

sheepishly after president Pratibha Patil conferred the All India Institute of Local Self-Government's Nagar Ratna

award at a ceremony in Mumbai on Friday.

Though the mayor expressed surprise at the honour, the corporation's municipal commissioner said the roads were in

good condition when the nominations for the award were filed earlier this year. "The award has motivated us to do

better. By this year-end, the roads of Kalyan-Dombivli will again be befitting the honour,"he said.

Two other civic bodies from Maharashtra were also awarded. The Pune Municipal Corporation bagged the third spot

in the overall performance while the Nashik Municipal Corporation received an award for its public health initiatives.

The BMC returned empty-handed.

"A city depends as much upon its planners and administrators as on the people dwelling in it who essentially

determine its character," Patil said. The president expressed her joy at the fact that six of the nine mayors who won

awards were women.

The first spot for the best local self-governance in the country went to Ahmedabad. It was followed by Mysore. The

Faridabad civic body was awarded for its recreational facilities; Vadodara for basic amenities for urban poor;

Bangalore for financial management, Visakhapatnam for use of information technology in governance; Agartala for

transparency and accountability; Rajkot for complaints redressal and Surat for innovation in local self-governance.

Pratibha: individual participation vital for urban development

PTI President Pratibha Patil interacts with Nashik Mayor Naina Gholap

during the 'Nagar Ratna' award function in Mumbai on Friday.

Mumbai : Pointing out that cities occupy just two per cent of land but generate 70 per cent of

waste, President Pratibha Patil said here on Friday that citizens must participate to ensure good

governance and they must give equal importance to duties, and not just focus on rights.

“A city depends as much upon its planners and administration, as on the people dwelling in it,

who essentially determine its character. Hence, the feeling that it is for the government alone to

take action is not correct. As Gandhiji has said, No people have risen who thought only of rights.

Only those did so, who thought of duties,” she said after conferring the ‘Nagar Ratna Awards'

upon 12 Municipal Corporations and Municipal Councils.

She appealed to the local self-government bodies to create conditions where citizens can become

partners and said that there was a two-way relationship between the local self-government bodies

and the citizens.

“Individuals should have a sense of civic duty. From waste management, to energy and water

conservation, to planting trees — all these can be successful only with citizens' participation.

Each person can contribute, NGOs can contribute, housing societies can contribute and industry

can contribute in making a positive difference to our urban habitats,” she said.

The ‘Nagar Ratna Awards' have been instituted by the All-India Institute of Local Self-

Government (AIILSG) to recognise the best performing municipal bodies under the Jawaharlal

Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. A selection committee, headed by the former Supreme

Court Justice Arijit Pasayat, evaluated the performance of various cities on nine parameters,

while adjudging the winners.

“Twenty urban local bodies participated in this competition. We judged them on various

parameters like innovative ideas, responsive application, data verification and assessment,” Mr.

Pasayat said.

There were two categories of awards. Three awards were given for the best overall performance.

Nine awards were declared for good performance in different segments such as public health,

roads and streets.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, which was adjudged the best-run organisation, was

given Rs.5 lakh and a trophy. The Mysore City Corporation received the second prize and the

Pune Municipal Corporation was declared the third winner. Gujarat looked the best-performing

State after four of the 12 awards were bagged by Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot and Vadodara.

Maharashtra inched a close second as three urban local self-government bodies – Pune, Nashik,

Kalyan-Dombivali – bagged prizes.

Under the segment awards, the best public services award went to the Nashik Municipal

Corporation. The Kalyan –Dombivili Municipal Corporation won the award for improvement of

roads and streets.

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation won the award for providing basic amenities to urban

poor. Bengaluru was awarded for financial management, Vishakhapatnam for use of Information

Technology in governance and service delivery, Faridabad for recreational facilities, Rajkot for

complaints redress system, Surat for innovation and Agartala for transparency and

accountability.

“As we draw [town] plans, we should not only cater to the needs of current inhabitants, but

should look at developing cities and townships, keeping in mind a minimum of a 25-year

timeframe. Works like road and drainage construction or repair, should be taken in a coordinated

manner by adopting an integrated development framework for an area,” she said.

“The construction of green buildings, designed for energy conservation and water harvesting,

should be encouraged as also the construction of earthquake-resistant buildings. Local self-

government bodies must ensure that building plans and standards are strictly adhered to,” she

said.

“The population of slum-dwellers in Indian cities has risen from 26 million in 1981 to 62 million

in 2001. Being at the lower rung of the ladder, they constitute the vulnerable section that is likely

to suffer from hunger, malnutrition and disease. Cities must work towards meeting the basic

requirements of all and to eradicating poverty. ,” the President said.

Hailing women power, Ms. Patil said that women should be actively drawn into planning and

development process. She observed that six of the nine municipal bodies which received awards

in the segments category, were headed by women.

“I am happy that there are women representatives in our elected urban bodies constituting 36 per

cent of the membership, which is proposed to be increased to 50 per cent,” she said.

Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan also supported greater representation to women in

local self-government bodies. “Corruption in local bodies is less when women members are

there.”

Roshini project

The President accepted the request of Jatin Modi, president of the AIILSG, for holding a meeting

of representatives of local self-government bodies in the Rashtrapati Bhavan to demonstrate the

‘Roshini' project implemented there.

The programme has been implemented to make the Rashtrapati Bhavan an eco-friendly estate. It

includes recycling of waste and water, waste management, vermi-culture, use of new and

renewable energy resources. “Urban planners and dwellers should develop models that create

hygienic, efficient, eco-friendly and participatory urban settlements.”

Ahmedabad civic body adjudged best in country, Pune third best

The All-India Institute of Local Self Government (AIILSG) on Friday adjudged the

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) as the best performer among civic bodies in the

country.

President Pratibha Patil gave away the Nagar Ratna Awards, instituted by the AIILSG, and

the AMC was honoured for its bus rapid transport system that has attracted the attention of

urban planners around the world. It received a trophy besides a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. A

selection committee, headed by former Supreme Court Justice Arijit Pasayat, had evaluated

the performance of various cities on nine different parameters, while adjudging the winners.

The second best performer was the Mysore City Corporation, which received a trophy and a

cash prize of Rs 3 lakh. The Pune Municipal Corporation, the third best, received a trophy

and a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh.

Under the segment award categories, the Nashik Municipal Corporation was adjudged the

best in public health services while the Kalyan -Dombivili Municipal Corporation won the

award for improvement of roads and streets.

The other award winners were Vadodara Municipal Corporation for basic amenities to

urban poor, Bangalore for financial management, Vishakhapatnam for use of IT in

governance and service delivery, Faridabad for recreational facilities, Rajkot for complaints

redressal system, Surat for innovation and Agartala for transparency and accountability.

As many as 64 cities, where the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission

(JNNURM) is being implemented, were considered for the awards.

Ahmedabad civc body bags Nagar Ratna Awards

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, whose Bus Rapid Transit System

caught the attention of urban planners around the world, was adjudged the

Overall Best Performer at the Nagar Ratna Awards on Friday

The awards were given by President Pratibha Patil at a function in Y B

Chavan auditorium here. The Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation got a

consolation prize for improvement of roads and streets.

While the Pune Municipal Corporation headed by Commissioner Mahesh

Pathak got the third Nagar Ratna award.

The awards are instituted by the All India Institute of Local Self-Government

and the selection committee is headed by former Supreme Court Justice

Arijit Pasayat.

Speaking at the occasion Patil said public participation is the key to ensure

good governance and better administration of our cities. “A city depends as

much upon its planners and administrators, as on the people dwelling in it.”

Concerned over the burgeoning slums in the city, she the population of slum dwellers in Indian cities has risen from 26 million in 1981 to 62 million in

2001.

PMC ranked third best corporation in India

Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been ranked as the third best municipal corporation in the country after Ahmedabad and Mysore as the President Pratibha Patil honoured the best managed urban local bodies at the Nagar

Ratna Awards held in Mumbai on Friday.

Mohan Singh Rajpal, mayor and Mahesh Pathak, municipal commissioner of Pune Municipal Corporation received the award of a trophy and Rs 2 lakh from the President Patil.

Further, under the segment awards categories, Nashik Municipal Corporation was announced as the best in public health services. Kalyan–Dombivili Municipal Corporation won the award for improvement of roads and streets.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation was adjudged the overall best performer at the awards function, organised by the All India Institute of Local Self Government.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation received a trophy, along with a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. The civic body's Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) has attracted the attention of global urban planners.

Mysore City Corporation was adjudged the second best performer and received a trophy and a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh.

The selection committee for the awards was headed by former Supreme Court Justice Arijit Pasayat, who evaluated the performance of various cities on nine different parameters.

Other award winners included Vadodara Municipal Corporation for basic amenities to urban poor, Bangalore for financial management, Vishakhapatnam for use of IT in governance and service delivery, Faridabad for recreational facilities, Rajkot for complaints redressal system, Surat for innovation while Agartala civic body was awarded for transparency and accountability.

Slums represent the face of urban poverty: President

PTI Civic awards: The President, Ms Pratibha Patil, with the Maharashtra Minister for Textiles, Mr Naseem Khan, at the ’Nagar Ratna’ award

function in Mumbai on Friday.

Slums represent the face of urban poverty and the sprawling divide that exists in cities, the

President, Ms Pratibha Patil, said today, voicing concern over increasing number of ghettos in

the country.

Addressing the ‘Nagar Ratna Awards' ceremony here, organised by the All India Institute of

Local Self Government, she pointed out that the population of slum dwellers in Indian cities had

increased from 26 million in 1981 to 62 million in 2001.

The slum dwellers were placed at the lower rung of the society, Ms Patil said, adding, “Every

citizen should have access to liveable habitats and basic amenities such as water and sanitation

facility.”

The President also called for active participation of women in planning and development process

in the urban local bodies.

“Women should be actively drawn into the planning and development process in the urban local

bodies,” she said.

Ms Patil also expressed happiness over women constituting 36 per cent of the elected members

in urban bodies, which is proposed to be increased to 50 per cent.

Stating that India has a predominantly young population, Ms Patil said, “The future of the

country depends on how well we prepare our youth to take on responsibilities.”

She said increasing urbanisation and the high population growth rate in towns and cities had put

infrastructure and services under severe strain.

Awards

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, whose Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) has caught

the attention of urban planners around the world, was adjudged the Overall Best Performer at the

Nagar Ratna Awards here today.

The President, Ms Pratibha Patil, honoured the best managed urban local bodies by presenting

the Nagar Ratna Awards, instituted by the All India Institute of Local Self Government, at a

ceremony here.

A selection committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge, Justice Arijit Pasayat, evaluated

the performance of various cities on nine different parameters, while adjudging the winners.

The Ahmedabad civic body received a trophy, along with a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.

The second best performer was the Mysore City Corporation which received a trophy and a cash

prize of Rs 3 lakh. Winning the third prize of a trophy and Rs 2 lakh was the Pune Municipal

Corporation.

People's Participation Key to Good Governance: Prez

Citizens' participation is the key to ensuring good governance and better administration of our cities,

President Pratibha Patil said here today.

"A city depends as much upon its planners and administrators as on the people dwelling in it, who

essentially determine its character. Hence, it is incorrect to say that it is for the government alone to

take action," Patil said

She was speaking at the 'Nagar Ratna Awards' ceremony, organized by the All India Institute of

Local Self Government.

Citizens should show civic sense in the areas of waste management, energy and water

conservation, protection of environment, to create sustainable cities, she said.

"Each person can contribute, NGOs can contribute, housing societies can contribute and industry

can contribute in making a positive difference to our urban habitats," she said.

The President expressed concern over the growing number of slum dwellers in the county. She said

the population of slum dwellers in Indian cities has risen from 26 million in 1981 to 62 million in 2001.

"Being at the lower rung of the ladder, they constitute the vulnerable section that is likely to suffer

from hunger, malnutrition and disease," she said.

She called for proper implementation and regular monitoring of special programmes for the welfare

of the marginalised and disadvantaged, like the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission,

which seek to cater to the needs of the poor and improve the quality of their lives.

Stating that the town planning has become a full fledged discipline in colleges and institutions, Patil

called for adopting futuristic designs for cities keeping in mind a minimum 25-year timeframe.

She stressed on the development of effective public transportation system to overcome the problem

of congestion and vehicular pollution.

"Mass transport and transit systems facilitate movement within the city. In their absence, city

dwellers would depend on private transportation, leading to congestion, pollution and more fuel

consumption," she said.She asked the planners to adopt environmentally friendly options such as

bio-gas, solar and wind energy.

The President said an eco-friendly 'Roshini' programme has been adopted in the Rashtrapati

Bhavan which has waste management, energy efficiency and usage of new and renewable energy

as its components. Urban planners must develop more such models that can be replicated on a

large scale, she said.

''Level of corruption less in local bodies headed by women''

Mumbai, Jul 8(PTI)Calling for increased participation of women in local bodies, Maharashtra

governor K Sankarnarayanan today said that the level of corruption tends to go down where the

women are chairman."I am sure that corruption is less in the local bodies headed by women",

Sankarnarayanan said while speaking at the 'Nagar Ratna Award' ceremony organised by the All

India Institute of Local Self Government (AIILSG) here.He also stressed that by merely developing

urban spaces would not be enough, the quality of life of the ordinary people also needs to be

improved."Our urban and local bodies have to develop their capabilities to provide efficient and

transparent governance", he further stressed.

***

Nagar Ratna Awards: Ahmedabad best-run municipal corporation PTI | 06:07 PM,Jul 08,2011

Mumbai, Jul 8 (PTI) The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, whose Bus Rapid Transport System

(BRTS) has caught the attention of urban planners around the world, was adjudged the Overall Best

Performer at the Nagar Ratna Awards here today. President Pratibha Patil honoured the best

managed urban local bodies by presenting the Nagar Ratna Awards, instituted by the All India

Institute of Local Self Government, at a ceremony here. A selection committee, headed by former

Supreme Court Justice Arijit Pasayat, evaluated the performance of various cities on nine different

parameters, while adjudging the winners. The Ahmedabad civic body received a trophy, along with a

cash prize of Rs five lakh. The Second Best performer was the Mysore City Corporation which

received a trophy and a cash prize of Rs three lakh. Winning the third prize of a trophy and Rs two

lakh was the Pune Municipal Corporation. Mohan Singh Rajpal, Mayor and Mahesh Pathak,

Municipal Commissioner received the award. Under the segment awards categories, Nashik

Municipal Corporation was adjudged the best in public health services, while Kalyan�Dombivili

Municipal Corporation won the award for improvement of roads and streets. Other award winners

include Vadodara Municipal Corporation for basic amenities to urban poor, Bangalore for financial

management, Vishakhapatnam for use of IT in governance and service delivery, Faridabad for

recreational facilities, Rajkot for complaints redressal system, Surat for innovation and Agartala for

transparency and accountability. Altogether 64 cities where the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban

Renewal Mission, JNNURM is being implemented, were in the reckoning for the Nagar Ratna

Awards.

***

Slums represent face of urban poverty: President PTI | 06:07 PM,Jul 08,2011

Mumbai, Jul 8 (PTI) Slums represent the face of urban poverty and the sprawling divide that exists in

cities, President Pratibha Patil today said, voicing concern over increasing number of ghettos in the

country. Addressing the 'Nagar Ratna Awards' ceremony here, organised by the All India Institute of

Local Self Government, she pointed out that the population of slum dwellers in Indian cities had

increased from 26 million in 1981 to 62 million in 2001. The slum dwellers were placed at the lower

rung of the society, Patil said adding, "Every citizen should have access to livable habitats and basic

amenities like water and sanitation facility." The President also called for active participation of

women in planning and development process in the urban local bodies. "Women should be actively

drawn into the planning and development process in the urban local bodies," she said. Patil also

expressed happiness over women constituting 36 per cent of the elected members in urban bodies,

which is proposed to be increased to 50 per cent. Stating that India has a predominantly young

population Patil said, "The future of the country depends on how well we prepare our youth to take

on responsibilities." She said increasing urbanisation and the high population growth rate in towns

and cities had put infrastructure and services under severe strain

***

President urges 25 years futuristic approach for urban planning

Mumbai, July 8 (IANS) President Pratibha Patil Friday said that urban planning should not be limited to catering to the needs of current inhabitants but look at developing cities and townships keeping in mind a minimum time-frame of 25 years.

She urged the need to develop effective public transportation systems to solve the problems of congestion and vehicular pollution and asked planners to adopt environmentally-friendly options like bio-gas, solar and wind energy in their designs.

Speaking at a function wherre she presented the prestigious Nagar Ratna Awards to several municipal bodies here, the President said that works like roads, drainage constructions or repairs should be undertaken in a co-ordinated manner by adopting an integrated development framework for an area.

"The construction of green buildings, designed for energy conservation and water harvesting, should be encouraged as also making earthquake resistant buildings," she said.

Patil called upon the local self-government bodies to ensure that building plans and standards are strictly adhered to.

Expressing concern over the growing number of slum-dwellers in the country, the president said that the population of people living in urban slums has grown from 26 million in 1981 to 62 million in 2001.

"Being at the lower rung of the ladder, they constitute the vulnerable section that is likely to suffer from hunger, malnutrition and disease," Patil observed,

The Ahmedabad, Mysore and Pune municipal corporations bagged the coveted Nagar Ratna Awards, for being judged the civic bodies in the country.

The award, instituted by the All India Institute of Local Self-Government, Mumbai, carries a rolling trophy and cash awards of Rs.5 lakhs, Rs.3 lakhs and Rs.2 lakhs respectively for the top three winners.

Besides, Nashik, Kalyan-Dombivali, Faridabad, Rajkot, Surat, Vadodara, Bangalore, Visakhapatnam and Agartala municipal corporations also received prizes in different categories like public health, cleanliness, provision of basic amenities, use of IT in governance, transparency and accountability.

The president expressed happiness that mayors of six of the 12 award-winning municipal corporation were women.

The awards were decided by a committee, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Arijit Pasayat, which evaluated the performance of various civic bodies covered under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

People''s participation key to good governance: President

Mumbai, Jul 8 (PTI) Citizens' participation is the key to ensuring good governance and better

administration of our cities, President Pratibha Patil said here today. "A city depends as much upon

its planners and administrators as on the people dwelling in it, who essentially determine its

character. Hence, it is incorrect to say that it is for the government alone to take action," Patil said.

She was speaking at the 'Nagar Ratna Awards' ceremony, organised by the All India Institute of

Local Self Government.

Citizens should show civic sense in the areas of waste management, energy and water

conservation, protection of environment, to create sustainable cities, she said. "Each person can

contribute, NGOs can contribute, housing societies can contribute and industry can contribute in

making a positive difference to our urban habitats," she said.

The President expressed concern over the growing number of slum dwellers in the county. She said

the population of slum dwellers in Indian cities has risen from 26 million in 1981 to 62 million in 2001.

"Being at the lower rung of the ladder, they constitute the vulnerable section that is likely to suffer

from hunger, malnutrition and disease," she said.

She called for proper implementation and regular monitoring of special programmes for the welfare

of the marginalised and disadvantaged, like the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission,

which seek to cater to the needs of the poor and improve the quality of their lives.

Media reports also in

Urban Planning must be futuristic – President; Pratibha Patil says common man is

focus of all development schemes

BMC is a loser : Asia’s richest civic body disqualified from Awards for Local Self

Governments.

President urges 25 years futuristic approach for urban planning

City with potholed roads (Kalyan-Dombivili) bags award for best roads and streets

Participation of residents is the key to growth of cities, says Pratibha Patil

The day when no one sleeps hungry on footpaths will be the good day for India –

Pratibha Patil

People''s participation key to good governance: President

Slums represent the face of urban poverty – Pratibha Patil

Kalyan Dombivili MC honoured with Nagar Ratna award

President Patil presents Nagar Ratna Awards

Khaddedar KDMC (Kalyan-Dombivili Municipal Corpn) wins award for best roads

Local self governments should provide opportunities for citizens participation

Citizens responsible for building the character of cities – President Patil

Citizens should assume responsibility for better governance of cities – President

People''s participation key to good governance: President

Ahmedabad is the best run Municipal Corporation

Gujarat Samachar

Gujarat civic bodies bag highest number of Nagar Ratna Awards

Divya Bhaskar, Gujarati

President Patil presents Nagar Ratna Awards to urban local bodies

Janmabhoomi, Gujarati

Ahmedabad adjudged the best administered Municipal Corporation

Mumbai Samachar, Gujarati…….

Common man is the focus of all development schemes – Pratibha Patil

UDAYAVANI, (Kannada), Mumbai

People''s participation key to good governance: President

Ahmedabad, Mysore honoured with Nagar Ratna Awards

Malayalam Daily

Nagar Ratna Awards: Ahmedabad best-run municipal corporation

Following TV / RADIO News Channels were also present

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PRESS RELEASE

Government of India

PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU 1st Floor, Pratishtha Bhawan Annex, Maharshi Karve Road, Marine Lines, Mumbai 400020

pibmumbai@gmail.com /www.pibmumbai.gov.in

+91-22-2206 9413/ Fax – 2206 2989

Local Self Governments must create conditions for citizens to become partners : President Patil

Mumbai / July 8, 2011

President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil has said that citizens participation is the key to ensuring

good governance and better administration of our cities. Speaking at the ‘Nagar Ratna Awards’

ceremony, organized by the All India Institute of Local Self Government in Mumbai on Friday,

President said “a city depends as much upon its planners and administrators, as on the people dwelling in it, who essentially determine its character”. Hence, it is incorrect to say that it is for the

Government alone to take action, she added. Smt. Patil said, citizens should show civic sense in the

areas of waste management, energy and water conservation, protection of environment, in order to

create sustainable cities. She said “each person can contribute, NGOs can contribute, housing societies can contribute and industry can contribute in making a positive difference to our urban

habitats.”

The President expressed concern over the growing number of slum dwellers in the county. She said

the population of slum dwellers in Indian cities has risen from 26 million in 1981 to 62 million in

2001. “Being at the lower rung of the ladder, they constitute the vulnerable section that is likely to

suffer from hunger, malnutrition and disease” she observed.

President called for proper implementation and regular monitoring of special programmes for the

welfare of the marginalized and disadvantaged, like the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal

Mission, which seek to cater to the needs of the poor and improve the quality of their lives.

President stressed that women should be actively drawn into the planning and development

process in the urban local bodies. She said representative of people should do their work with

interdependent principles of efficiency, transparency and accountability.

Stating that the Town Planning has become a full fledged discipline in colleges and institutions,

President Patil called for adopting futuristic development designs for our cities keeping in mind a minimum of a 25 year timeframe. The President stressed on development of effective public

transportation system to overcome the problem of congestion and vehicular pollution. She also

asked the planners to adopt environmentally friendly options such as bio-gas, solar and wind

energy.

President Patil informed that an eco-friendly ‘Roshini’ programme has been adopted in the

Rashtrapati Bhavan which has waste management, energy efficiency and usage of new and

renewable energy as its components. She said urban planners must develop more such models that can be replicated on a large scale.

PIB Release ID/MH…

PRESS RELEASE Government of India

PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU 1st Floor, Pratishtha Bhawan Annex, Maharshi Karve Road, Marine Lines, Mumbai 400020

pibmumbai@gmail.com /www.pibmumbai.gov.in

+91-22-2206 9413/ Fax – 2206 2989

Nagar Ratna Awards : Ahmedabad is the best run municipal corporation,

Pune, Nashik, Kalyan-Dombivili among award winners.

Mumbai / July 8, 2011

The President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil today honoured the best managed urban local bodies by presenting the Nagar Ratna Awards at a ceremony in Mumbai. The awards are instituted by the

All India Institute of Local Self Government. A selection committee headed by former Supreme

Court Justice Arijit Pasayat, evaluated the performance of various cities on nine different

parameters, while adjudging the winners.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, whose Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) has caught the

attention of urban planners around the world, was adjudged the Overall Best Performer. It received a Trophy, along with a cash prize of Rs 5 lakhs.

The Second Best performer was the Mysore City Corporation which received a trophy and a cash

prize of Rs 3 lakhs.

Winning the third prize of a trophy and Rs 2 lakhs was the Pune Municipal Corporation. Shri Mohan

Singh Rajpal, Mayor and Shri Mahesh Pathak, Municipal Commissioner received the award in the

hands of the President.

Under the segment awards categories, Nashik Municipal Corporation was adjudged the best in

public health services, while Kalyan –Dombivili Municipal Corporation won the award for

improvement of roads and streets.

Other award winners were – Vadodara Municipal Corporation for basic amenities to urban poor,

Bangalore for financial management, Vishakhapatnam for use of IT in governance and service delivery, Faridabad for recreational facilities, Rajkot for complaints redressal system, Surat for

innovation and Agartala for transparency and accountability.

64 cities where the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, JNNURM is being implemented, were in the reckoning for the Nagar Ratna Awards.

(Also see – Text of President’s speech and the accompanying press release at www.pibmumbai.gov.in )

MD/BG/SB

PIB Release ID/MH/…

Government of India

PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU

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TEXT OF PRESIDENT SMT.PRATIBHA DEVISINGH PATIL’S SPEECH AT THE

‘NAGAR RATNA AWARD CEREMONY’ IN MUMBAI ON JULY 8, 2011

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am happy to participate in this function organized by the All India Institute of Local Self-

Government, which has been working for over eight decades in the field of training and capacity

building of municipal administration and local bodies. I congratulate them as well as the municipal

corporations, who have today been conferred Nagar Ratna awards for their good performance.

The growth of cities began in the early days of human civilization. The ancient Indus Valley

civilization was one of the first urban civilizations of the world. Its cities, Mohenjodaro and

Harappa, are acknowledged for their high sophistication in architecture and engineering. With their

well-planned and wide roads, properly designed drainage and sanitation systems, public buildings

and public baths, they evoke interest among planners, till today especially now, as half of humanity

lives in urban areas. This trend is expected to continue, leading to assessments that the 21st

Century is likely to be one when cities will be the dominant human habitats.

In India too there is a growing trend towards urbanization. The high rate of growth of

populations living in towns and cities, has put infrastructure and services under severe strain.

Housing and the supply of basic utilities have not kept pace with demand. While such inadequacies

severely constrain economic growth, the lack of planned civic amenities, cause great inconvenience

to the population and haphazard construction deprives towns of their character. Moreover, with an

expected influx of more people into urban areas, we must plan carefully and adopt systematic

approaches. Town Planning now has so many aspects and elements, that it has become a full

fledged discipline in colleges and universities just like engineering. This will add to our knowledge

base and enhance our abilities to address issues and problems of municipalities. I believe that as we

draw plans, we should not only cater to the needs of current inhabitants, but should look at

developing cities and townships keeping in mind a minimum of a 25 year timeframe. Works like

road and drainage construction or repair, should be taken in a coordinated manner by adopting an

integrated development framework for an area. The construction of green buildings, designed for

energy conservation and water harvesting, should be encouraged as also the construction of

earthquake resistant buildings. Local self-government bodies must ensure that building plans and

standards are strictly adhered to.

People should be the centre of development, as we strive to build an atmosphere congenial

to progress. Every citizen should have access to livable habitats and basic amenities like water and

sanitation, transport and energy supply, which should also be efficiently managed. Slums represent

the face of urban poverty and the sprawling divide that exists in cities. A look at statistics gives a

fairly good idea of the extent of the problem. The population of slum dwellers in Indian cities has

risen from 26 million in 1981 to 62 million in 2001. Being at the lower rung of the ladder, they

constitute the vulnerable section that is likely to suffer from hunger, malnutrition and disease.

There is also the labour force, who set up temporary hutments close to the construction site. Cities

must work towards meeting the basic requirements of all and to eradicating poverty. No one should

sleep on a hungry stomach, no one should sleep on the footpath and every child should go to school.

It is such inclusive cities, where the benefits of social welfare reach all sections of society, that will

be sustainable habitats. Special programmes for the welfare of the marginalized and disadvantaged,

like the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, which seek to cater to the needs of the

poor and improve the quality of their lives with the involvement of stakeholders, should be

properly implemented along with regular monitoring.

Cities that are secure and safe are a product of good governance. In this, urban local bodies

play a pivotal role. Representatives of urban local bodies have to do their work with interdependent

principles of efficiency, transparency and accountability. Their role definitely includes the

implementation of social welfare programmes but along with it, very importantly; it is to identify

local priorities by taking into account perspectives of residents. Women should be actively drawn

into the planning and development process, and I am happy that there are women representatives

in our elected urban bodies constituting 36 percent of the membership, which is proposed to be

increased to 50 percent. Training and capacity building is an important investment into the future

sustainability of our cities. E-governance technologies can be harnessed for providing better

services and facilities. This will enable better communication systems, better data and information

systems, quicker processing of the data and resultantly better delivery and monitoring

mechanisms.

India has a predominantly young population, and the future of the nation depends on how

well we prepare our youth to take on responsibilities. Good value-based education is particularly

important in making better-informed, duty conscious and creative citizens. Easily accessible and

affordable healthcare systems that address issues of nutrition, while providing medical care go a

long way in making people healthy and productive.

A city depends as much upon its planners and administration, as on the people dwelling in

it, who essentially determine its character. Hence, the feeling, that it is for the Government alone to

take action, is not correct. As Gandhiji has said, “No people have risen who thought only of rights.

Only those did so, who thought of duties.” People must feel that it is their own city, and think of

how they can do something for it. They should live in harmony with each other, maintain peace, be

law abiding, conscious of their responsibilities and willing to contribute to all aspects of its

progress. Individuals should have a sense of civic duty. From waste management, to energy and

water conservation, to planting trees - all these can be successful only with citizens' participation.

Each person can contribute, NGOs can contribute, housing societies can contribute and industry can

contribute in making a positive difference to our urban habitats. It is a two-way relationship

between local self government and citizens. Local self-government must create conditions where

citizens can become partners.

While cities occupy just over 2 percent of land, they currently produce 70 percent of waste

and account for a high proportion of greenhouse gas emissions. In a fast urbanizing environment,

we should look at striking the right balance between environmental and developmental needs.

Environment friendly options such as biogas, solar and wind energy need to be explored. In a city,

effective public transportation systems should be accorded priority to give people a convenient,

comfortable and an affordable mode of travel, which also contributes to environmental efforts.

Mass transport and transit systems facilitate movement within the city. In their absence, city

dwellers would depend on private transportation, leading to congestion, pollution and more fuel

consumption. Small steps can also go a long way. In the case of waste management, if action is

taken by every household to segregate bio-degradable waste from other waste, it would provide an

environmentally sustainable and effective system of waste management, that begins at the waste

generation stage, and seeks to involve the maximum number of people.

On the basis of the concept of people’s participation the 'Roshini' programme has been

adopted in Rashtrapati Bhavan, as an effort to make it an eco-friendly estate. This initiative has

waste management, energy efficiency and usage of new and renewable energy as components. Our

attempt is to create awareness and a sense of responsibility in each individual living in the

President's Estate, in keeping the environs clean. Urban planners and dwellers should develop

models that create hygienic, efficient, eco-friendly and participatory urban settlements. Roshini

could, with suitable adaptation, be a replicable model.

In the end, I again congratulate the award winners and also compliment all those associated

with this Institute, for their dedication, commitment and professionalism. I would encourage it to

continue with its endeavour to develop its training infrastructure for supporting and enhancing

capacities of local governance. I again wish the All India Institute of Local Self-Government and its

team a great future.

Thank you.

Jai Hind!